Bite to eat before work and a bit of reading.

This was just a lot of fun. I liked how the friendship developed between Fi and Shane and all their adventures. I wasn‘t totally convinced by the romances (very insta-love) and the twist on the Sleeping Beauty story. But overall, I enjoyed it and will consider getting around to the sequel at some point.

I‘m relaxing at my hotel now after my day of sightseeing. Here‘s what I picked up at Queer Haven Books - an ARC and an asexual pride pin, invisible disability pin for my sister, and a pair of book earrings for my mom. I could‘ve definitely gotten more, but I have to make sure everything fits in my carryon bag! All of this can fit in my purse, so I‘m good.

In Columbia, South Carolina - today is a sightseeing day while the next three days I‘m at a work conference. Made a stop into Queer Haven Books - South Carolina‘s only queer bookstore! Really cute store with a good selection of both new and used books, including a nice children‘s section, and lots of bookish and/or queer goodies.

This was just ok for me. The ending was satisfying, but it took a long time to get there. The amount of fatphobia was very annoying. The characterizations in general felt a bit shallow. It passed the time, though (most of it I listened to as an audiobook at work but read the last third at the airport/during my flight - last third was the strongest part).

Early morning flight. A little over an hour before boarding for me to read and have my iced dirty chai.

“‘Yes,‘ said Valentine, a little uneasily. ‘Send him to me, yes. By all means.‘”

From “The Seventh Shrine” by Robert Silverberg

Bite to eat and an orange blossom mocha before work

Bite to eat and a latte and a little reading before work

Relaxing Sunday with an egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit and an iced mocha and enjoying my book 📖

I think I expected this book to be more typical romance and/or horror. It wasn‘t that, but it was all the better for it. The characterizations were complex, plot slow at points but ultimately impactful, richly depicted settings, with a dash of the philosophical. I enjoyed it immensely.

Ended up near a bookstore while running errands. Did I stop in? Of course! Did I buy books? Is there any doubt? 😆

Done with work! My long weekend begins now with Panera and a book before a haircut 💇‍♀️

Cup of tea and a sandwich before going into work

“Andrew nodded, glancing out the doors again. A steep hill rose up at the edge of the yard, shale sticking out of the crumbling dirt and grass, straggling trees tumbling and growing on the slope. A curious tremble ran up his fingers into his sore arms.”

Lunch and errands today

Better day at work. The collection development librarian let me take first crack at taking any of the weeded books before putting them on the cart for patrons to take because he knows I‘m interested in film. Took the tagged because of the author - I still haven‘t seen Citizen Kane! (Perhaps it‘s time to fix that 😆)

Information was fine if a bit boring. Focus was a bit too much on corporate and government records, which is less applicable to me. A new edition just came out that is likely to be more updated, but I was already almost finished with this.

Bad day at work. Ended up leaving early, getting ice cream and eating it outside in the sun, and then picking up a couple books at Barnes and Noble. Doesn‘t fix anything, but does help me feel a little better. Loved the Hyperbole and a Half blog in college, so I know these will be winners.

Lunchtime reading before going into the office

The usual Saturday - egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit, iced americano, and some reading before running errands

I loved this cozy, found family, sea-faring fantasy adventure. I especially liked the narrator, which felt like having a good friend tell you about something that happened (similar narrator vibes to T. Kingfisher‘s What Moves the Dead, though WMtD is obvi more creepy/filled with dread while Tress is whimsical but thoughtful). No need to have read any other Cosmere books previously - I haven‘t and really enjoyed this.

This was just ok for me. I thought the multi-cast audio was good, the characters worth rooting for, and the concept of the reading list fun. But for a book about the power of books and libraries, there were some inaccuracies about libraries that, as someone who previously worked in a public library, annoyed me (not everyone working at a library is a librarian! I get the non-library worker characters not knowing that, but even the library workers…

Mom and I went to a makers market today. Found some cute things (candle, cat things). There was also a cute little shop in a trailer that sold used books 📚 and a free paint chip bookmark with purchase.

Usual Saturday - reading with lunch (egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit and a cold brew), gas and a car wash (since it‘s actually nice out!), and Petsmart.

A little reading, a vanilla latte, and a biscuit sandwich before work

Took a little walk after lunch around Marion, IA and stopped into the Marion Chocolate Shop (their caramels are so good 😋) and the HEA Book Boutique - a romance themed book store. First time I‘ve visited and it‘s very cute. I got myself the tagged book and a T-shirt that says “I closed my book to be here”

It‘s a pretty nice spring day. Starting a new book from my #AuldLangSpine list to try to get out of a bit of a reading slump. The barista excitedly told me she just finished this one as she was bringing me my dirty chai (also having overnight oats with apples and peanut butter).

Please excuse me getting on my soapbox for a minute, but I saw that the #DynamicDs prompt for today is #DifferentlyAbled

Can we just not with the “differently abled” language? I‘m disabled. So is my sister, my cousin, and some of my friends. I‘ve been a part of disability groups politically/professionally. We either use “disabled” or “person w/ a disability.”

Tagged is good if you want to learn. Pic of sister‘s invisibly disabled cat for tax.

Starting a new book (instead of finishing one of the many I‘ve started but not yet finished) and trying a new coffeeshop. I got the gourmet grilled cheese and a latte. Running errands after this.

“I swallowed hard, straightened my shoulders to shed some fear, and tuned my comm to the emergency channel.
‘All staff, this is the Auditor.‘”

“To shape sensory experience and in doing so communicate . . . what? Does it even matter?”

Spring in the Midwest means wearing a sweater but also having a blended latte because it is but isn‘t warm out 😆

“‘I was right though, wasn‘t I,‘ said Granny. It wasn‘t a question.”

A biscuit sandwich, an iced black tea, and a couple chapters before going into the office

Relaxing Saturday with my favorite egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit, a mocha, and a book 📖

Autoimmune illness related fatigue plus daylight savings time has left me so exhausted this week that I‘ve been unable to run some needed errands. So I took a day off to get some extra sleep, pick up my prescription and some cat food, and get gas/go through the car wash. Break for a cappuccino and a biscuit sandwich and some work-adjacent reading.

More free books somehow found their way home with me today. April isn‘t judging me - she‘s too cozy! #CatsOfLitsy

The free book table at work has returned - this time with books that were previously used by the high school concurrent enrollment program. So a bit beat up, but still readable and FREE

No errands for once this weekend! But still decided to go out for lunch, including trying the new “Lucky Leprechaun” latte.

This was an enjoyable enough read and I‘ll probably read the sequel because I want to see how the story plays out, but it‘s not the best Romantasy I‘ve read. Its backstory as fanfic is pretty apparent (which isn‘t bad, but can be distracting) and the colonizer romance aspect is pretty cringe. I did like that it was more build up than spice (only one spicy scene that was over 80% in). And some of the descriptions of scenery were vividly rendered.

Back to my normal weekend routine after traveling last weekend. Starting a new book, having an egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit and a latte, and then going to Petsmart.

Birthday gifts from my mom (James) and sister (the third season of Twin Peaks - I already have the original series and Fire Walk with Me). We also went to see Dancing with the Stars Live today and will have cake in a bit 🎂 💃 📖 🦉

Lunch (egg and cheese ona cheddar chive biscuit and a gingerbread latte) and starting part II of this novel before running errands 📖

“‘The world is vast,‘ he finally told Sevraim. ‘We‘ll keep looking. We‘ll make it clear that any nation harboring our enemies will be crushed along with them.‘”

The free book table at my work has returned! 😆 I‘m sure some English instructor just cleared out their office, but I found a couple gems #BookHaul

#AuldLangSpine adjacent because @BookmarkTavern had the most recent in the series on her list and this book has been on my TBR since it came out. I loved the concept and the dark fairy tale vibe, along with a murder mystery, a ragtag group of misfits who are out to solve it, and some legit representation (romantic asexual protagonist! I‘m aro-ace and ace rep is so rare so I get excited). I only wish it was longer! Looking forward to the next one!

A beautiful collection of works inspired by Harjo‘s ancestors‘ experience of the Trail of Tears, but covering far more ground than that from the deeply personal (the death of her mother) to the political to the invention of the saxophone. I found it accessible even as someone who hasn‘t read much poetry in the past couple years. And oddly hopeful and comforting despite its subject matter and our current political moment.
Beatrice #CatsOfLitsy

Probably my last #AuldLangSpine book this month (though others are on my TBR for later). This collection is proving to be beautiful, comforting, and timely all at the same time.

Enjoying a dirty chai latter and my usual egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit before going over to care for my neighbor‘s cats.

I liked this a lot. I loved the blend of fantasy/mythology (the Wild Hunt) with history and politics. The characters were well developed. I loved all of the protagonists (though they also sometimes frustrated me! but that‘s part of what made them feel real!). Also, so much queer rep! Sapphic romance! And multiple ace characters! If anything, I think the narrative dragged a bit, especially compared to her first book Sistersong, but a minor quibble.