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ImperfectCJ

ImperfectCJ

Joined May 2019

books: https://imperfecthappiness.org voice acting: https://ctlvoiceover.com/ The Storygraph: imperfectcj, IG: @ctlvoiceover, Blueksy: @charitytl
review
ImperfectCJ
Beautyland: A Novel | Marie-Helene Bertino
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Pickpick

Ooh! I like this one a lot! In some ways, it reminds me of Martha Wells's Murderbot in that the main character is a (partial) outsider whose perspective on Earth and our species and Americans even more specifically is more poignant because she lacks an expectation of shared humanity with those she observes. It asks the reader, who on the planet *isn't* a visitor here? This is one I want to mull for a while and perhaps gift to a couple of people.

Readerann My library hold just came up. Yay! 15h
45 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
Butter: Roman | Asako Yuzuki
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Pickpick

This novel is longer than it seems. It unfolds in a similar way to many Japanese novels I've read, peopled by characters with rich internal lives and busy but somewhat held-back lives. It makes me think of the pressure that builds up when playing a double-reed instrument. The main character is recognizing this pressure through the article she's writing and trying to identify ways to opt out of some of the pressure. I enjoyed it.

ChasingOm I love that analogy! 2d
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
ImperfectCJ
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I'm trying something a little new on my blog. I've posted an article with an in-depth reaction to the tagged book along with audio of me reading the post, for those who'd like a podcast or audiobook effect (it's about the pace of a podcast but with just one voice like most audiobooks):
http://imperfecthappiness.org/2024/12/10/on-mastery/

If you visit the article, please let me know what you think!

Texreader I enjoyed the article very much. You are quite the writer and I love your passion. I didn‘t listen to it because it‘s too late and I‘m in bed. 4d
Cuilin Fabulous read, as someone with ADHD I can relate to the stepping away. I may check out the book yet I don‘t know what I want to master right now. 🤷‍♀️ thanks for sharing. 3d
ImperfectCJ @Texreader Thank you! I used to write a lot more but got discouraged and stopped doing much for a while. I could have put writing on my "stepped away" list, too. :-) 3d
ImperfectCJ @Cuilin Thank you! The book is very corporate/traditional career-oriented, so I'm not sure how universally helpful it would be. It's possible it just hit me at the right time. I'm not sure if the things I want to master will stay the things I want to master, but I figure that starting in that direction might be a good way to go for me. We shall see, I guess! 3d
38 likes4 comments
review
ImperfectCJ
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Pickpick

Like many books in this genre, this could be a lot shorter, and the quote selection is sloppy (there is one hilariously misattributed to Mark Twain), but chapters 15 and onward on mastery and scheduling to support mastery are quite helpful. Nothing groundbreaking, but the concepts are ordered in such a way that they click for me. Very man-oriented, very geared towards a specific kind of career, but I think it's translatable to my situation.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 4d
44 likes1 comment
blurb
ImperfectCJ
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Birthday bathroom selfie. In typical grown-up fashion, it's pretty much a regular day, but I'm experienced enough that I've structured my regular days with playing and singing, so it's pretty okay. And since I have a December birthday, I've been saying I'm my new age for 6 months, so that part's not a surprise, either! (Or at least not a huge surprise.) Almost done with the tagged book, which I'm finding pretty helpful after a rocky start.

thecheckoutstack Happy birthday! 5d
Tamra Happy Birthday! 🎈 5d
LeahBergen Happy Birthday! 🎂 5d
See All 18 Comments
Librarybelle Happy Birthday! 5d
Ruthiella Happy birthday! 🥳🥳🥳 5d
DGRachel Happy Birthday 🥳 5d
BarbaraBB Happy birthday! Great photo 🤩 5d
DogMomIrene Happy birthday! 🙌🏼🥳🎉 5d
Read-n-Bloom Happy Birthday! 🎉🎂🎈 5d
MaureenMc Happy birthday! 5d
Mimi28 Happy birthday 🎂🎁🎉🎊🎈!! 5d
MemoirsForMe You take an awesome selfie! Have the Happiest Birthday week! 🥳🎉❤️ 5d
dabbe HB! Lovely pic, too! 🤩🤩🤩 5d
JessClark78 Happy Birthday! 🎊🎂🎉✨ 5d
ImperfectCJ @MemoirsForMe Thank you! Bathrooms often have great lighting! 😁 It's so nice to see you back on here! ❤️ 5d
ImperfectCJ Thank you everyone! It's been a really nice birthday. Not quite enough reading, but I'll hopefully get some in before bed tonight. 5d
quietjenn Happy birthday! 5d
Anna40 Happy birthday 🥳! 4d
35 likes18 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
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Silo likes when my quest to live a purposeful life intersects with his life's purpose. He's pretty sure I should be blocking out more time for cozy lap snuggles.

Ruthiella 😻😻😻 6d
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 6d
40 likes2 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
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I start Tuesday as a weekly volunteer reading picture books aloud to two UTK classes. This morning I'm prepping: practicing my voices, coming up with questions to engage the students, reviewing strategies for working with wiggly 4-year-olds. I'm pretty excited!

Tamra Nothing like Mo Willems! Good for kids & adults. 😃 6d
36 likes1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
Cat Among the Pigeons | Agatha Christie
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Mehso-so

I like the girls school setting of this novel, but I think it would be more interesting without the political intrigue. Poirot also feels like a gratuitous addition here.

No pigeons in this photo, but we have the cat.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1w
PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ Gorgeous! 1w
48 likes2 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
Cat Among the Pigeons | Agatha Christie
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Audiocooking while trying to help Poirot figure out whodunnit. After dinner, the second of four concerts this week. December is a busy month when you have musicians in the family.

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ImperfectCJ
Untitled | Unknown
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Three favorites (I couldn't choose between the many Claymation classics from my childhood, which all get honorable mentions):

1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
2. It's a Wonderful Life
3. The Holdovers (newer, and we'll see if it keeps its spot on my favorites list as the years progress)

#ThreeListThursday @dabbe

dabbe Nothing beats the claymations, right? We were the target audience for those! I have THE HOLDOVERS on my TBW list! Thanks for playing and sharing! 💙❄️💙 1w
ImperfectCJ @dabbe My elder kid's boyfriend recommended The Holdovers to us, and we really liked it. It's got a Wes Anderson feel, and was filmed in part at a boarding school in the next town over from where we lived for nearly 7 years, so there was kind of a local appeal for my family. I hope you enjoy it when you see it! 1w
25 likes2 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
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1. Making pumpkin pie at least twice (Thanksgiving and my birthday), lasagna for Christmas dinner, tidepooling, seeing light displays (professional and amateur).

2. Tagged, but really all of them. I'm just looking forward to reading!

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

TheSpineView Love anything pumpkin! Thanks for playing 🧡🧡🧡 1w
27 likes1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
Devils Kill Devils | Johnny Compton
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Pickpick

I didn't love this one, but it's an enjoyable read. The characters are a little simplistic, and the creatures' mythology is a little complicated for my taste, but the plot is interesting, and I like how Compton blends vampire tales from many regions and times. There are a couple of places where characters are just like, "Yes, this totally outlandish thing makes perfect sense," which I find a little jarring.

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ImperfectCJ
Untitled | Unknown
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This is almost a record: Only two days into the month, and I've published my “what I read last month“ post (along with a few paragraphs about the challenges I have planning solo travel): https://imperfecthappiness.org/2024/12/02/bookends-november-2024/

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ImperfectCJ
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Ready for December! #bookspin is Kill Your Darling, #doublespin is Butter, and #castthedie include Kill Creek, Home Truths, Black Sheep, and Brat. This month will be busy, but hopefully I'll find some time to read, too.

@TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🎄🎄 Happy reading! 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Looks fabulous!!! 2w
31 likes2 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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My completed November #bookspinbingo card. No bingos, but I completed my #bookspin and #doublespin titles.

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic month!! 2w
26 likes1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
The Queen: A Novel | Nick Cutter
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Panpan

I should have bailed on this one. The science is bad, but I could have dealt with that if the story were better. It's excruciatingly slow, and so much of it makes little sense. The characters are inconsistent and extreme. Cutter seems to be making a "this is teenagers" argument, but all the characters are like this regardless of age (and it's a reductive way to view teenagers, anyway).

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ImperfectCJ
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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My December #bookspin and #castthedie list (21-24/25 are free choice for both). A lot of these are physical books that I already have on hand, which will be a challenge for me as I've grown accustomed to doing most of my reading by audiobook.

@TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w
31 likes2 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
Untitled | Unknown
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https://wapo.st/4fMyQHG

Significant overlap with the #ToB25 longlist. I've only read two of these (so far), and one of those was a DNF. What are your thoughts? Would you include different titles in a Best of 2024 list?

BarbaraBB I can‘t read it unfortunately. I wonder why US main news sites are behind a pay wall. People should be able to read the news imo especially with so much fake news circulating 2w
Liz_M @BarbaraBB There is no government funding for newspapers and most ad money goes to google/facebook/tech companies, so without readers paying for articles there is not enough money to pay the staff. For example:
NYT operating costs: $520.4 million
NYT Advertising Revenue: $119.2 million
NYT subscription revenue: $439.3 million
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/07/business/media/new-york-times-earnings.html
2w
ImperfectCJ @BarbaraBB @Liz_M I copied the "gift article" link (I'm a subscriber), so I thought it should work for others. I'll grab the titles and post them in a comment. 2w
See All 9 Comments
ImperfectCJ 'Colored Television' by Danzy Senna, 'James‘ by Percival Everett, ‘My Friends‘ by Hisham Matar, 'Playground‘ by Richard Powers, 'This Strange Eventful History‘ by Claire Messud, 'The Hidden Globe: How Wealth Hacks the World‘ by Atossa Araxia Abrahamian, ‘I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition‘ by Lucy Sante, 'Question 7‘ by Richard Flanagan, ‘V13: Chronicle of a Trial‘ by Emmanuel Carrère, 'When the Clock Broke' by John Ganz 2w
ImperfectCJ @Liz_M @BarbaraBB While this is most likely me misunderstanding how gifting articles works, the situation with media in the US is pretty not-awesome right now and poised to get worse, if the unelected, unofficial committee of two determined to make cuts to support ultra-rich dudes rather than democracy have their way. I already have mixed feelings about WaPo after Bezos's BS just before the election, but I do like their reporting a lot. 2w
kspenmoll I was able to see 10 books with your post. 2w
ImperfectCJ @kspenmoll Thank you for letting me know this! 2w
BarbaraBB @Liz_M Thanks for explaining. I still don‘t get however why for example The Guardian and other main European newspapers can be read for free. (edited) 2w
BarbaraBB @ImperfectCJ That is frightening. Thanks for sharing the titles! Many ToB books indeed and I love Emmanuel Carrère! I have t read this one yet but I will definitely check it out! 2w
36 likes9 comments
review
ImperfectCJ
Model Home: A Novel | Rivers Solomon
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Pickpick

I have mixed feelings about this title from the #ToB25 longlist. In many ways, I love this novel. I love the uncertainty about the narrator's reliability and what it says about trauma and family and internalizing/blaming oneself for bad things that happen and how predators use this to their advantage. But the path it takes is through some terrain reminiscent of the 1980s pulp novels I read from my mom's bookshelf, which takes away from the effect.

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ImperfectCJ
Beautyland: A Novel | Marie-Helene Bertino
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I got a little excited while visiting our brand new library branch (now we have two branches within two miles of our house!) and checked out four titles from the #ToB25 longlist (plus one more just for fun). Now to tell my secretary to clear my schedule so I have time to read them.

But I guess that means I first need to get a secretary.

BarbaraBB 🤣🤣 don‘t try to find them now, it‘d distract you from reading all these books! 3w
Megabooks Wow! How nice to have two close! 1w
66 likes2 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
Untitled | Unknown
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I made the most of last night's insomnia by putting together my #roll100 list for 2025! I dug pretty deep into my TBR for a lot of these, and I remembered why I've been procrastinating reading many of them. I'm planning to be lenient with myself about DNFing if my brain isn't up to the task with some of these.

@PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper Good plan! 3w
48 likes1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
Our Missing Hearts | Celeste Ng
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Pickpick

Reminiscent of Atwood, this novel is a chilling portrayal of the way that government can use (and does use) the threat of child removal to enforce compliance from subsets of a population. It's also a great reminder of what privilege looks like, especially in times of crisis. This novel helps me reframe my potential role under an autocratic government, given my race, gender, age, marital status, and economic situation. And it's also a great story.

ImperfectCJ No points off for this novel leading to the addition of two more books to my TBR. 3w
50 likes1 comment
blurb
ImperfectCJ
Our Missing Hearts | Celeste Ng
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I'm reading too much or too fast this past week and as a result, things are steeped in unreality and the emotional ambience of each novel is seeping into my daily life, which is unsettling, especially since I'm reading a lot of dystopian fiction and books in which people act poorly, repeatedly and after they really should know better.

So, time to touch base with the real world. Pelicans always remind me of little pteranodons.

thecheckoutstack I know exactly the feeling you‘re describing. That‘s why I can‘t watch horror movies 3w
46 likes1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
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Pickpick

Another down from the #ToB25 longlist. The characters in this novel are realistic and complex, which means they're also maddening. They make stupid choices and jump to conclusions and repeat the same patterns of behavior over and over. But I liked reading this novel. The flow of the story feels right to me, and even my frustration with George and his total self-involvement is satisfying, in a way.

BarbaraBB This is one I hadn‘t heard of but that I want to read now! 3w
ImperfectCJ @BarbaraBB I don't remember how I heard about this one originally, but I apparently liked the description enough to put it on my TBR. Then its appearance on the longlist got me to read it rather than letting it sit there. I'll be interested in hearing what you think of it! 3w
Megabooks I just felt so bad for Jenny. She did so much and he gave so little. 1w
See All 6 Comments
ImperfectCJ @Megabooks Oh, my gosh, yes. In addition, I can actually relate to Jenny rather more than I'd like to be able to. I'm trying to dig myself out of a similar pattern of behavior in relationships (not to that extreme, but in the same vein). 1w
Megabooks I can imagine that‘s really frustrating and difficult. I‘m aromantic, so I relate to relationships a bit differently in books. Sometimes it‘s hard for me to wrap my head around them at all. I feel a bit like an anthropologist when I read a book that delves deeply into those dynamics. 1w
ImperfectCJ @Megabooks I hadn't thought about it being a specifically romantic thing...I think George's mother (and to a lesser extent, his sister) treats him a lot like Jenny does, with the enabling and excuse-making and doing too much for him. I got the impression that family dynamic was the implied reason that he has the relationship expectations he does. 1w
55 likes6 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
Untitled | Unknown
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Many thanks to @BarbaraBB for sharing the link to the #ToB25 longlist...I'm supposed to be on their mailing list, but the longlist was surprisingly challenging to locate.

I've interacted with 8 of the longlist titles (finished 6, DNFed 2). There are several I'm excited about, but mostly I feel like, didn't we JUST do #ToB24???

Bookwormjillk It was so hard to find! 3w
ImperfectCJ @Bookwormjillk No kidding! Even knowing where it is, I can't get to it from the ToB homepage. I have to use the direct link. Weird that they hide it like that! 3w
BarbaraBB I learned the link thanks to @BkClubCare and still can‘t find it without getting back to her post! 3w
Megabooks I agree! It was really hard to find this year! 3w
43 likes4 comments
review
ImperfectCJ
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this one a lot (despite it dragging a bit towards the end). Walker is so spot-on about public reactions to the discovery and spread of a novel virus, I could hardly believe that this was published in 2019. With one kid at college near the mountains east of LA and another who goes to camp every year in the mountains there, I had a lot of stored imagery to apply to the setting of this novel (but I think I would have liked it anyway).

ImperfectCJ That said, I am quite annoyed at the outcome for a couple of the characters. But the fact that I'm annoyed indicates I was invested, so could be seen as even more evidence for this being a solid novel. 3w
44 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ImperfectCJ
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Audiowalk while waiting for my kiddo at the community college. I keep looking at the publication date; I'm amazed this novel was written before the pandemic. Walker must have had major déjà vu in 2020.

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ImperfectCJ
The Queen: A Novel | Nick Cutter
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Camille says, "You might wonder why I've asked you all here today."

I don't wonder, though; I know it's because we're readers, and she knows that if she sits here long enough, one of us (probably me) will join her with a book (possibly the tagged book), and then her plan will be complete.

Ruthiella 😻😻😻 3w
Jari-chan 😸😸😸 3w
kspenmoll 😀😀😻😻 3w
See All 8 Comments
Texreader The sweetie pie. Definitely Queen 3w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3w
The_Book_Ninja “Ah Mr Bond….we meet again” 3w
ImperfectCJ @The_Book_Ninja 😂 purrfect! 3w
58 likes8 comments
review
ImperfectCJ
The Age of Miracles | Karen Thompson Walker
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Mehso-so

I'm giving this one a so-so rating. The characters are interesting, but I live in the part of the country where this story is set, and some inconsistencies bother me (the assertion that hawks don't live in the suburbs when they so do, the common existence of daily school buses in a place where bus service is rare). Also, I don't really get why plants can't grow because there's not enough light when there are still equal amounts of light and dark.

jen_the_scribe I live in a pretty suburban area and just witnessed a hawk fighting a garden snake right in front of my house a few weeks ago lol 3w
AmyG @jen_the_scribe Isn‘t it wild? When we moved to Colorado I saw a hawk flying with a snake in it‘s beak. 3w
jen_the_scribe @AmyG Yeah it was. We took a video of it lol 3w
48 likes3 comments
review
ImperfectCJ
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this collection of pandemic stories, even though---like the days during lockdown---the stories tend to blend into one another. In these stories, Doyle explores with sensitivity issues of connection, estrangement, vulnerability, mental illness, substance abuse, and grief. I know a lot of people still don't like revisiting that time, but I find it intriguing and therapeutic to look back at those years that have influenced so much.

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ImperfectCJ
Poldark. Jeremy Poldark | Winston Graham
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My history-loving son has walking pneumonia, so I suggested we spend some time watching this book-adjacent series together while he waits for the antibiotics to do their work. He said, "Mom, that looks like the kind of show a middle-aged woman would watch."

I argued that, while I am, in fact, a middle-aged woman, that doesn't mean teenaged history buffs wouldn't like the show, too.

And then I left him to his Discord and his D&D YouTube videos.

Soubhiville 😆 kids. Hope he feels better soon. 4w
Bookwormjillk Ugh, my daughter has the same. Crazy illnesses going around this year. 4w
ImperfectCJ @Bookwormjillk Indeed! It's our first time dealing with this particular ailment, and I'm hoping his dad and I don't catch it. And that the pertussis test the doctor's office is running comes back negative. We've dealt with that before, and I did not like it at all. We're up to date on our boosters, so fingers crossed 🤞 I hope your daughter feels better quickly! 4w
49 likes3 comments
review
ImperfectCJ
Silent Scream | Angela Marsons
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Pickpick

While this novel was maybe a little on the nose in a few spots (and the implied future love interest is NOT the person I expected it to be), I enjoyed reading it. The characters are interesting, and I look forward to reading more about them and what they get themselves into. Based on this installment, I think it's quite likely that Marsons's writing will become more skillful as the series progresses.

review
ImperfectCJ
The Spite House: A Novel | Johnny Compton
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Pickpick

This one starts out quite creepy with the story unfolding in a gradual, satisfying way, but then it takes a fork in the road that doesn't quite work for me. There's a plot point that seems central but then kind of gets sidelined, and the logic behind the haunting kind of breaks down. Still a good read, even though it loses steam in the second half.

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ImperfectCJ
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Back during the big pandemic years, I bought this book and Timothy Snyder's The Road to Unfreedom. After I finished the Snyder, I needed some time to recover, so I let this one sit on the shelf. Now seems like a good time to get to it. I especially want to read the "how to save it" part.

ImperfectCJ In related news, I've joined Bluesky, if Littens over there want to connect: @charitytl.bsky.social 1mo
50 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
City of Bones | Martha Wells
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Pickpick

Although the plot is different, the tone of this novel reminds me of Six of Crows. Wells's skill at worldbuilding and creating three-dimensional characters is evident. Occasionally I found the action difficult to follow, especially with some of the more out-there locations, but overall it was an engrossing read.

CatLass007 I love Murderbot and I look forward to reading more of her work. Thanks for the review. 1mo
Bookwormjillk Love your mug 1mo
ImperfectCJ @Bookwormjillk Thanks! My MIL got it for me several years ago. I tend to prefer more subtlety in my mugs, but I have to admit, it's apt. :-) 1mo
See All 8 Comments
ImperfectCJ @CatLass007 As I understand it, this book first came out in the mid-1990s and then went out of print, but then was reissued after the success of Murderbot. It's very different from Murderbot, but still quite skillful. Wells makes it look easy! 1mo
CatLass007 I think if an author writes well, I want to read everything they write, in any genre. 1mo
CatLass007 The mug is great. I have a sign that says “Yes I really do need all these cats!” Maybe a mug that says both would be what I need. 1mo
ImperfectCJ @CatLass007 Agreed. I have a few must-read authors, and Wells is quickly becoming one of them. I really like how the success of Murderbot helped bring this one back into print! 1mo
DogMomIrene Love Murderbot. Need to read more of her books. Glad her out-of-print books are back in style👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 1mo
55 likes8 comments
review
ImperfectCJ
Ghost Eaters: A Novel | Clay McLeod Chapman
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Mehso-so

More gross than spooky for me. It makes some interesting statements about addiction, but it kind of goes off the rails in a way that doesn't quite work for me. I'm not sure what's inspiring so much of the fungus horror these days. Maybe candida overgrowth controlling our actions?

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ImperfectCJ
Untitled | Unknown
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My October Bookends post is up!

https://imperfecthappiness.org/2024/11/09/bookends-october-2024/

I'm writing it late at night after a long day, so I hope it's coherent.

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ImperfectCJ
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Something that gives me hope: My spouse and I went out today to get wine and then visited the library (as one does), and at both places we had lovely interactions with people we didn't previously know. And we saw this great seed library! I sorely needed this this week. And tomorrow is the grand opening of a NEW library branch! I can't wait to smell it!

TheBookHippie I love our seed library so much at my local branch. 1mo
57 likes1 comment
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ImperfectCJ
Untitled | Unknown
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1) Took my younger kid to his first rock concert (King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard...fun despite the rain).
2) Visited my elder kid at college and got awesome hugs.
3) Perused a cool antique shop and saw uranium glass!
4) I recorded self-tapes and don't hate them.
5) I spotted a strange and kind of delightful map icon for a lactation room.

@DebinHawaii #FiveJoysFriday

AmyG Ooooo #1 that must have been awesome! 1mo
DogMomIrene I don‘t know that rock band, but I love their name🦎💚 1mo
dabbe 🧡🍁🤎 1mo
37 likes3 comments
review
ImperfectCJ
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Pickpick

I've never seen One Tree Hill and had never heard of Lenz, but I'm intrigued by cults. Lenz's vulnerability makes this story compelling. The common threads between cults and other abusive relationships come through clearly, as does the way increasingly bizarre behaviors can seem logical at any given point. Awareness of the tactics of abusers on any scale is important so that our own needs/wants don't keep us from seeing abuse for what it is.

ImperfectCJ The book also highlights how poorly we as a culture do at identifying and helping stop abuse. We forgive so many behaviors because someone is rich or "successful" or saying what we want to hear. (I'm kind of taking this on a tangent, but it's what's on my mind this week.) 1mo
Megabooks I had never heard of her either, but her story sounded intriguing, so I'm on the list at the library. Thanks for the thoughtful review! 1mo
ImperfectCJ @Megabooks I hope you enjoy it when it comes in! Some parts were so much like, "Argghh! Why are you doing this?" but it's clear Lenz feels the same way, which helps(?). I just keep thinking about how much our system is set up in a way that makes it difficult to get out of this kind of abuse. So many swear words come to mind. I wish I had some idea of what reforms would help, legally and culturally, and how to make those happen. 1mo
Christine Evidently this book is trending in San Diego…about to finish it myself! 😄 1mo
49 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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ImperfectCJ
Blue Hour | Paula Hawkins
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1. a) Rain, sofa, blanket, cat, decaf, quiet house. b) Audiobook, bone-conduction headphones, and a long walk already mapped out (with bathrooms along the way). c) Bed, duvet, cat, Kobo, and no concern for how tired tomorrow me will be.
2. The tagged, but mostly I'm just looking forward to any book that allows me to escape reality for a bit.

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

Eggs Love 1 b! I do that a lot 1mo
34 likes1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
Ordeal by Innocence | Agatha Christie
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Mehso-so

I'm not a huge fan of this one. I appreciate the idea that revealing a truth can injure those who are innocent, but there are a lot of strange ideas here about creating a family through adoption and about maternal instinct and about women---especially middle-aged women---that I have trouble getting past. (I was going to say the ideas about women are outdated, but in the current climate, it's clear that a lot of these ideas are still thriving.)

Faranae This book is just one giant heap of Agatha Christie's hangups, from motherhood right through to eugenics. 😬 (There's probably a reason her daughter seems to have preferred Archie, even though Agatha fans tend to see him entirely as a villain...) 1mo
43 likes1 comment
review
ImperfectCJ
NOS4A2 | Joe Hill
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Pickpick

I enjoy the premise and storytelling of this novel, although I'm not completely on board with Hill's use of language. Sometimes, the language feels overly aggressive/abrasive to me, which sometimes fits the story/character and sometimes doesn't. Sometimes, this makes the characters seem like puppets rather than full individuals. I can see reading his books occasionally, but I think the style would annoy me if I read them too often.

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ImperfectCJ
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I set my November #bookspinbingo card up in a lull while volunteering helping with a youth solo competition. My kid's competing on tuba against two clarinets, a marimba, and a flute. Not sure how the judges will choose the winner with that assortment, but the musicians seem to be having fun!

@TheAromaofBooks

Bookwormjillk Hmmm how does a tuba compete against a clarinet? Either way good luck to your kid! 1mo
ImperfectCJ @Bookwormjillk I know! If it were about volume, my kid would have it in the bag. 😂 Luckily one of the clarinets is his good friend, so it's a friendly competition. 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Enjoy!! My dad played tuba/sousaphone in high school and loved it. 1mo
39 likes3 comments
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ImperfectCJ
Silent Scream | Angela Marsons
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I'm reading two novels right now (the tagged and NOS4A2), and both feature Triumph motorcycles. I love reading coincidences!

TheBookgeekFrau Love when that happens! 💞 1mo
41 likes1 comment
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ImperfectCJ
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I'm very pleased with my #bookspinbingo for October! Three bingos, 17 books finished, 1 DNFed. I finished my #bookspin, my #doublespin, and 3/4 of my #castthedie titles. I wouldn't mind similarly prioritizing reading for November, too.

@TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper

ImperfectCJ @BookwormAHN My total points for #HauntedShelf #BlackCatCrew are 1,685. Apologies for getting them posted so late! 1mo
BookwormAHN Fantastic 🖤🐈‍⬛️🖤 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1mo
Suet624 Wow!!! 1mo
44 likes4 comments
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ImperfectCJ
NOS4A2 | Joe Hill
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Kate Mulgrew has a very distinctive voice, and her serial killer voice is exceptional, but the way she pronounces Haverhill (Massachusetts)---Hav-er-hill---is making my eye twitch. With about 11 hours to go, I might have to switch to the print edition.

5feet.of.fury I SAID THAT TOO Hav-er-hill…. Why didn‘t anyone tell herrrrrr how to say it 1mo
LiteraryinPA How could nobody on the team have caught that?? 1mo
BarkingMadRead It‘s a really good book, I hate when a narrator wrecks it! 1mo
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Clare-Dragonfly How do you pronounce it? 1mo
ImperfectCJ @Clare-Dragonfly HAY-ver-ul (I've also heard people leave off the initial H sound, too, depending on the region and individual) 1mo
ImperfectCJ It's a blessing that no one has visited Billerica so far in this novel. 1mo
37 likes6 comments
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ImperfectCJ
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Bailedbailed

I got about 25% through, and I just can't pay attention to this one. Although it did prompt me to finally check into getting dual Spanish-American citizenship through my grandpa. I might try picking it up again when I'm in a different mood.

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ImperfectCJ
Gaudy Night | Dorothy L. Sayers
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I couldn't limit myself to just three favorites! There were a few books in the list I hadn't read, but I'd read others by the authors (I didn't count them, nor did I count movies).

Thanks for the tag, @dabbe ! #TLT #ThreeListThursday

dabbe #woohooyou! The only one I've read of your choices is REBECCA. Got the others now on the TBR! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🖤🎃🖤 1mo
30 likes1 comment
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ImperfectCJ
The Blue Hour | Paula Hawkins
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Not a great photo, but I got to see Paula Hawkins tonight at a fundraiser event for a local non-profit with which I volunteer, and I got a signed copy of her newest book!