This was the moment I decided for sure I hated this book. Patti Smith is a fucking legend. Norah was insufferable and Nick wasn‘t much better. The only good character in the book was NYC. If not for the fact that I‘m so looking forward to going back there in November, I‘d have hated this completely. Also, it‘s billed as YA and it had more unnecessary profanity than any adult novel I‘ve ever read. Maybe the movie will be better.

My husband, a Pynchon fan, says I just didn‘t want to like this book. But that‘s not true. I don‘t read books I don‘t want to like. I want to enjoy every reading experience. I just didn‘t like this book. I didn‘t ever get a feel for the main character‘s personality, I didn‘t like the prose, and I never got into the story itself either. Pynchon himself spoke negatively of it later on, so I can‘t be totally wrong. Sorry to bring that 36% even lower.

After seeing the abysmal rating this book has on here, I have to make sure and say how much I loved it. So many books I love could not exist without this one. Joyce was a master of words, and Ulysses is truly worthy of its spot at the top of many “best literary works” lists.

I‘ve been reading this book longer than I should have, but I love it so much.

“Next time you can give birth and choose the name.” 😂

I‘m doing A to Z lists for authors and titles this year, and I showed my husband my proposed list tonight. He incredulously asked, “You‘re going to read Ulysses?” Uh, yeah. Then he said I wouldn‘t read The Magus because I started it before and stopped around page 200 when nothing was happening. Sooo next on my list after Plath will be Fowles, then Palmer because I‘m seeing her in concert and finally Ulysses. 📚 Currently on 18/52 btw. 📖

I‘m sorry, what?

On the page before this, it also said, “I could feel the autism setting in again.” The character isn‘t autistic...

I love finding synchronicities. I finished reading Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay yesterday and started Pet Sematary last night and as soon as I saw the word “hale” (not a particularly common word) in PS, I knew I had just read it in BF, so I had to go find it to make sure. If only synchronicities actually spelled out some secret message...

Fascinating addition to the Twin Peaks lore.

I knew I‘d eventually find it cheap. 99¢ at Goodwill. ?

I‘ve never been much for the big tropes in horror: ghosts, vampires, zombies - but this book was really good. I liked her way of writing a lot. Long, elaborate, descriptive sentences weaving a captivating yarn.

This was how I faired for #LitsyAtoZ 2018. Sadly I didn‘t make it, but I‘m going to try again this year!

I have to mention this book because it is probably part of what slowed me down so much in meeting my goals this year. I just didn‘t want to pick it up and read it but I was determined to finish it. I hate not finishing a book. But these stories just were not good. I think people feel like they should like this book, but the writing isn‘t good, the stories don‘t really end, and it‘s just saturated with sex for no real reason.

I finally finished reading It last night. I‘m more than a little heartbroken over losing the friends I‘ve made in the last few months, but I‘m even more heartbroken at them losing each other. It was an amazing book, on par with The Stand (although I still think that‘s my favorite). I‘d recommend it to anyone who isn‘t afraid of an 1100 page masterpiece.

All things serve the beam. #stephenking #thedarktower

Starting to get into the thick of it. #stephenking #datswightwabbit

I‘m finally reading this baby. Been a long time coming. Fairly sure this battered copy was one of the books my brother picked up for me back when I first began collecting all King‘s works.

1. 23
2. 50 books - #LitsyAtoZ and #ReadHarder
3. Tranny - Laura Jane Grace
4. Elevation - Stephen King

I don‘t remember who it was I talked to about having copies of this book in other languages, but I found the Danish one!

I forgot to post my #bookhaul from Monday, but here it is paired with today‘s. Danielewski and up was McKay‘s in Nashville, and Cross and down are from Half Price Books Outlet in Bowling Green.

I still don‘t know exactly how to feel about this book. I loved Wolf in White Van, and in some ways, it was similar to that. But I didn‘t get a real sense of resolution despite getting “endings” for most of the characters. I think mostly I just expected something different from it. The writing was good and I do like the way JD plays with time and doesn‘t tell a story in a linear way.

I bought some little bags to carry books to work in and I just realized how perfect this one is for this book. (Google The Pizza Underground if you don‘t know why.) 😱🍕

Forgot to post my #bookhaul from the other day. They‘re just the ones to the left, but I thought I‘d photograph them with the book I‘m reading (Universal Harvester) and the one I‘ll be lost in for the next 3 months (House of Leaves).

In the HoL reading group, someone mentioned “leaves” reminded them of table leaves. My family has those types of tables, but I hadn‘t thought about them in years. I have this ridiculous notion that these little coincidences are sort of like signposts on a path, affirming you‘re going the right way. I notice them far too often, especially lately, and I‘m beginning to think maybe it‘s the opposite. This can‘t be the right way!

I would be remiss not to mention this here. If you are up for a reading challenge but haven‘t read this book, now is the time! We will be reading and discussing the book from Feb 26 to May 31. I hope you‘ll all join us! #HouseofLeavesBookClub

Why is there no cover photo for this book on Litsy??? Loved Wolf in White Van, so I‘m hoping this is just as good.

Forgot to post this. Story of my life. Finished this book and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Might actually meet my reading goals this year!

This was my B book for #LitsyAtoZ and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was my children‘s classic from before 1980 for the #ReadHarder challenge.

The Wizard of Oz has been my favorite movie for as long as I can remember, but somehow I‘ve never read the book. I can‘t decide if it‘s a parenting fail or a wise decision on their part because this book is often brutal!

Death count so far:
Dorothy: 1 witch
Tin Woodman: 1 bug or spider (forgot which), 1 wildcat, 40 wolves, 40 crows, and a swarm of bees

Don‘t know Brittany, but I love her dad‘s inscription.

I thought for sure I posted this already...

No idea what I said, but essentially, pretty good, still not a big fan of audiobooks, finished 4 puzzles while listening, and it counts as my J selection for #LitsyAtoZ.

Started the Joyland audiobook while working on two mixed pieces puzzles. This is where I‘m stopping. Pretty good for me!
#24in48

It took 4 hours and 11 minutes of reading today, but I finally finished this book. Started it last year but took some breaks and detours along the way. Now I need to rewatch American Ham and Summer of 69. And make something out of wood.
#24in48 #watchmeburn

I don‘t know why this book is taking me so long to read. Or why I read so slowly to begin with. I‘ve been reading for an hour and have only gotten through 32 pages... I‘m not very good at this. Also, I‘m going to try to see how much I can get done for #24in48 but the forms on the website are too laggy, so I probably won‘t do too much official stuff, but I still plan on reading as much as I can this weekend!

Overall, this graphic novel was cute. But when you‘re comparing it to Roman Dirge‘s friend Jhonen Vasquez‘s work, it‘s a little hard not to be disappointed. This comic near the end, by the way, was written by Vasquez! I had taken this pic before I realized it because I liked that line and then I got to the end and it said Jhonen V! Lenore is a dead little cutie though. I‘d read more about her.

This also fulfills #4 of the #readharder Challenge.

I may have bought even more books today. 🙈 Several were for the @bookriot #readharder challenge though. Now to actually get back to reading!
#bookhaul

My #bookhaul from today. Top 3 are from Goodwill and the bottom 4 are from Barnes and Noble. They are all atop the first piece of what I hope is eventually realized: a spinning bookcase.

1. Couch typically.
2. I use notecards and write down when I started and finished the book.
3. Sometimes anywhere but usually aim for the end of a chapter.
4. Drink yes, eat no.
5. The TV can be on if I don‘t really the program, but I prefer off.
6. Usually several.
7. Home and work.
8. Mostly silently, but I do tend to whisper to myself if I‘m trying to focus.
9. Nope.
10. Aim for the latter.
11. Nope.
12. Anyone and everyone.

My favorite poems in this book (which was 64 pages rather the 208 page book this tag is for) were the ones which were about the sweet release of “sleep.” I also liked the use of the color purple when talking about death. Reminded me of The Familiar.

1. I like the Simply white cheddar puffs more than the two originals.
2. The tagged book, but it‘s only 1 of 3 so far.
3. Working if I can make it in. Lots of snow and ice!
4. Definitely speak every language. I love languages, and I like of like the mystery about animals.
5. German! 🇩🇪
#friyayintro
@jesshowbooks

Found my Q book for #LitsyAtoZ! Didn‘t realize I had it. Do I need to read the first two books before I read this though?

1. Started last year, hoping to finish it at least this month.
2. Thin book to make me feel like I‘ve read more.
3. A classic I‘ve never read and which will fit in my vest pocket at work. (They haven‘t told me it‘s okay to read there, and I haven‘t asked, so I‘m just testing the waters until someone says something. It can‘t be coincidence that my left pocket is the perfect size for a mass market paperback, right?)

I‘ve finally registered for #LitsyAtoZ! This is my tentative “stack,” but as you can see, there are some doubles for some letters. Also, Don Quixote is currently a placeholder for Q and I have some X-Files books for X but I‘d like to find something better if I can. Oh, and I definitely put Joyland in the wrong place.
#AbecedarianTBR @BookishMarginalia

I don‘t know what this book is about except that it‘s weird. And I‘m on page 81.

I wrote more about this and it got deleted. 😔 Suffice to say I recommend it.

The best way to get those yearly numbers up is reading children‘s books. 😉 This one, however, is maybe best for adults. My enemy gave me this, and now that I‘ve read it, I can give it away. 😊 Hopefully I can finish those other 5 books pretty soon too.

Half Price Books bag sale yesterday. Two full bags ($233 worth at regular price) for $42. CDs, DVDs, and books. Stephen King, Nabokov, Robbins, Melville, etc.

Found this book at Goodwill and thought it was fiction. It‘s not. Thankfully, it‘s short, so I can add another book to my very short reading list from 2017.