As soon as I returned the last library look, I got to the top of the hold list on this book!
Now I’m Listening To: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
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Tag Archives: Kate listens
What I’m Listening to Now: There’s Something about Sweetie by Sandhya Menon
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Kate’s Top 5 of 2019
You’ll notice I am posting half the books Beth posted. She reads more than I do. She also reviews more than I do because she’s an objectively better blogger. In my defense, this year I did move to the other side of the US and start a new job. But, we all know that even without that, Beth still would have read more and reviewed more.
Thus ends the confessional/self-flagellation portion of this Top 5.
This year really feels like five years sandwiched together. So, when I went to look to see what I’d read this year, I was surprised that the books from earlier this year were read this year. Insanity. But, three of them still made the Top Five!
- Circe by Madeline Miller. Oh, man, this book. I loved it so much. I loved Circe’s voice, I loved her as a character, I loved the soft tone of the novel. The writing was so good. Ugh, more tales like this, please.
- Early Riser by Jasper Fforde. I read this this year. I can’t believe that was this year. I liked this bit of speculative fiction, even if I have some reservations about some of the biology. What if humans hibernated? Well, Jasper Fforde has a possible answer. This is a fun book.
- Firebug by Lish McBride. I ripped through this selection for my Pop Culture Homework Assignment. Absolutely shredded it. It is the tale of a woman that can start fires. She works for a vampire! What could go wrong? Many, many things and I loved the story woven around them.
- Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. This book about sadness and loss and relationships and home and life was… *chef’s kiss*. So good! And, it’s not very long, so get out there and read it, people! I suspect that there will be more reading of Banana Yoshimoto books in my future.
- An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson. Another book I read in the first half of the year. I also tore through this one. The characters were great, the central conflict was interesting and compelling. The writing was good. I’m interested in what Rogerson does next.
Wow, folks, that’s it. That’s 2019. I’m a little flabbergasted this year is over!
Quick Review: Welcome to Nightvale
Welcome to Nightvale! A friend made a reference to this and I did’t get it and she was very surprised that I had never listened to the podcast…well, now I’ve listened to this first book. And, it was fun! And, weird. Sooo weird. But, I’m into it. This was a little mystery, I think that’s how you would describe it, set in a town called Nightvale but might be Fox Mulder’s wet dream of a town. Time is weird, people disappear, not everyone seems to age, you have to be careful of lawn flamingos. This was a fun little book. I recommend it, if you also like weird books.
Review: The Plot to Betray America by Malcolm Nance
Remember, 3,000 years ago, when Larry Wilmore told Milo Yiannopoulos to fuck off? Well, Malcolm Nance was also on that episode of Real Time with Bill Maher. Crazy, right?
Anyway, this book turned out to be a really timely read as it is about Russia, the 2016 US elections, hacking, foreign interference in American politics, and the first family. You know, the people getting patents in China while also working in the White House and shooting endangered sheep. I’m glad I read it because it gave a lot of detailed background on things (like the FBI investigation Crossfire Hurricane) that have been popping up in the news lately. So, if you’re looking to go into Christmas armed to do battle against your conspiracy-theory-believing Uncle (understanding, of course, that a lot of cognitive research notes that “just presenting people facts” is not a particularly effective way to change people’s minds. I know, humans! Why are we like this?!), then this is the book for you. If you’d like a very clearly laid out description of Russia and their involvement in the 2016 elections, I also recommend this. If you’re teetering on the edge of “fuck it” or “burn it all to the ground”, then give this one a pass.
What I’m Listening to Now: The Plot to Betray America by Malcolm Nance
Kate, are you listening to a political book while you make Thanksgiving dinner? Yes. Yes, I am.
What I’m listening to now: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
I needed some ‘90s magic in my weekend
Beth and Kate read Rainbow Rowell Books
Hello and welcome to October! I talked Beth into a read along of sorts for this month. It is the most wonderful time of the year! It’s Autumn! Halloween approaches! Break out your books with wizards and vampires in them because this month I’m reading Carry On and Beth is reading the sequel Wayward Son both by Rainbow Rowell!
What I’m Listening to Now: The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
So, I still have half a Pop Culture Homework Assignment book to finish, but I already had this downloaded when I went on a yarn crawl last weekend, so I started it on the road. I will finish Strange the Dreamer…I just have to figure out what format I’m going to finish it in.
Still Reading: Pop Culture Homework Assignment
So, Wednesday nights in my house at the moment are for doing a little cleaning after dinner. While I clean, I’m still listening to Seafire. It is so good, but it is taking me forever to get through it.
This is the first time since we’ve started the Pop Culture homework assignment that I haven’t made it to the end before Labor Day. I’d like to say its because I’ve been very busy. But, it’s also because I’ve been spending my evenings watching Netflix.
2 Women, So Many Books 