Reading:The Night in Question, by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson, which is the sequel to The Agathas. I’m finding it so delightful to spend more time with these characters, I love them. I’m also eyeing a pile of Maine-set YA horror—Caitlin Kittredge’s Dreaming Darkly, Rose Szabo’s What Big Teeth, Rory Power’s Wilder Girls—so if you’ve got feelings on any of those (or others), let me know for sure.
Watching: I haven’t had the oomph to engage with anything that requires my full attention—see Thinking below—so I’ve been back on old-school Doctor Who and Father Brown, or, as we affectionately call it in this household, Woke Priest. (After reading this Guardian piece, I’m very much leaning towards tracking down the stories that inspired the show.)
Thinking: It has been SO gray here for SO many days in a row—we’re supposed to get sun today, but then back to gray for the next week—and I think it’s affecting my brain, which feels sluggish and dull. So… I feel like I haven’t been thinking much of anything this week? I’m going to actively try to have a cozy weekend: afghans, woodstove, candles, baking, snacks. Maybe I’ll bake gingerbread or something similar? Gingerbread always helps.
READING: I just finished the EIGHTH Veronica Speedwell novel (Deanna Raybourn) and cannot believe I have actually put up with a series this long (although this may just be the end). Also finished Mia Tsai's BITTER MEDICINE, which was kind of exhausting in a good way, and Kate Marchant's WHISTLEBLOWER, which... I did not love for myriad ME reasons (I think I wanted it to be more serious and not attempt humor), but it was a lightly crunchy, thought-provoking book.
Currently and on my bedside table are CJ Archer's MURDER AT THE MAYFAIR HOTEL, and last night I started ONCE THERE WAS by Kiyash Monsef, and thiiiiiis is the type of book you need to read when you're in the doldrums. (That, and THE GOBLIN EMPEROR, and THE EMPEROR'S HANDS, LEILA ROY. GET ON IT.) It's quiet and full of wonder and sparkles - and the purest kind of magic. where you can imagine yourself there. ::sigh::
NOT WATCHING: Honestly, this has been a crap, crap, crappity crap week for sleep, so I am reading tons of popcorn books that go in my tired eyes and fall right out of my ears. Sometimes they make me laugh (Orcs! Werewolves! Elves!) and other times it's just something to keep me company at 3AM. In that grumpy frame of mind I DNF just as many as I start, flinging them from the bed and whining that my allergies (Now, with hives!) aren't letting me sleep. No thinking or watching here, really. I'm grateful to find books that escape The Flinging and hold my attention.
NOT THINKING: About all I am supposed to be doing, including finishing a revision with some substantial plot restructuring involved, but instead will whistle and watch Youtube tutorials on making felt flowers or aluminum-can pinwheels for the garden or something...
The rain is returning for us soon, and gingerbread will definitely be necessary. Be well, and be cozy.
*walks into bedroom, looks at copy of Goblin Emperor, smirks*
*walks into living room, look at OTHER copy of Goblin Emperor, smirks*
TWO COPIES IN THE HOUSE, I'LL GET THERE EVENTUALLY... maybe, hahaha.
That CJ Archer book is on my co-worker's list, I'm pretty sure, and I'm going to order Once There Was based on your "quiet and full of wonder and sparkles" rec. I keep MEANING to pick up the first Veronica Speedwell book when I'm in the Light Historical Mystery mood—have you read Sherry Thomas' Lady Sherlock books? I've read four of them (I think?), and they're hands down my fave Sherlock Holmes re-imaginings.
ALLERGY HIVES!!! I am so sorry, that is monstrous. I've only really started having spring allergies in the last few years, but mostly mine seem to just present as low-key sinus headache-y nonsense. Hives are a whole different level, oof. And I'm sorry about the insomnia, too, that's miserable—and it's so impossible to get brain work done when you're exhausted and fighting with your own body. I hope you can fit in some of your own version of Comfort Gingerbread this weekend.
Reading: I just started The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk which is massive! Someone told me it took them three months to read, but I need to get it done in a month to make a newsletter deadline. Yikes! Watching: Other than the Knicks, I’m going to see Return of the Jedi which is back in theaters this weekend for its 40th anniversary. Thinking: It’s Friday, I’m tired and behind on everything. Whew!
Oooh, that one *is* gigantic! I've only had a few library patrons take it home, but the ones who have have come back and requested her other stuff, so it definitely seems like a hit for those who aren't scared off by the page count.
I haven't been to the movies in AGES (like, pre-pandemic), and I've been feeling the itch--maybe I'll try to do that this weekend to push back on the gray day overload. (Among other things, I'd very much like to see the Nic Cage as Dracula movie, mostly because I'm hoping for Extreme Cage Action.)
Good luck with being behind on everything, I hope you don't run yourself ragged!
Thanks! Hope you get out to see and enjoy Renfield. I read Dracula last year for the first time and thought they could make a whole movie about that character and then, poof!, they did, sorta, lol!
Reading: After finishing The Thing, I picked up The Hellbound Heart (AKA, Hellraiser). I've always wanted to read some of the Hellraiser content, having seen most (if not all) of the Hellraiser movies.
Watching: We watched Pearl on Sunday (it's a prequel story to X). Pearl was incredible. We're also going through Alice in Borderland on Netflix, which is kinda like a Squid Game style story. Not that they are much alike, but it does involve a game that is awful and people being forced to play it.
Oh, you know, despite having seen a good number of the Hellraiser movies--we've watched the original a ton, and most of the sequels (including the new-new one) at least once--I've never any of Barker's actual stories. That's a GREAT idea, I'm definitely going to put that on my to do list.
I haven't seen X or Pearl yet, but they're both on the list. I'm super-glad to hear that it's solid--I love House of the Devil and Innkeepers, but I haven't seen any of his other stuff.
READING: I just finished the EIGHTH Veronica Speedwell novel (Deanna Raybourn) and cannot believe I have actually put up with a series this long (although this may just be the end). Also finished Mia Tsai's BITTER MEDICINE, which was kind of exhausting in a good way, and Kate Marchant's WHISTLEBLOWER, which... I did not love for myriad ME reasons (I think I wanted it to be more serious and not attempt humor), but it was a lightly crunchy, thought-provoking book.
Currently and on my bedside table are CJ Archer's MURDER AT THE MAYFAIR HOTEL, and last night I started ONCE THERE WAS by Kiyash Monsef, and thiiiiiis is the type of book you need to read when you're in the doldrums. (That, and THE GOBLIN EMPEROR, and THE EMPEROR'S HANDS, LEILA ROY. GET ON IT.) It's quiet and full of wonder and sparkles - and the purest kind of magic. where you can imagine yourself there. ::sigh::
NOT WATCHING: Honestly, this has been a crap, crap, crappity crap week for sleep, so I am reading tons of popcorn books that go in my tired eyes and fall right out of my ears. Sometimes they make me laugh (Orcs! Werewolves! Elves!) and other times it's just something to keep me company at 3AM. In that grumpy frame of mind I DNF just as many as I start, flinging them from the bed and whining that my allergies (Now, with hives!) aren't letting me sleep. No thinking or watching here, really. I'm grateful to find books that escape The Flinging and hold my attention.
NOT THINKING: About all I am supposed to be doing, including finishing a revision with some substantial plot restructuring involved, but instead will whistle and watch Youtube tutorials on making felt flowers or aluminum-can pinwheels for the garden or something...
The rain is returning for us soon, and gingerbread will definitely be necessary. Be well, and be cozy.
*walks into bedroom, looks at copy of Goblin Emperor, smirks*
*walks into living room, look at OTHER copy of Goblin Emperor, smirks*
TWO COPIES IN THE HOUSE, I'LL GET THERE EVENTUALLY... maybe, hahaha.
That CJ Archer book is on my co-worker's list, I'm pretty sure, and I'm going to order Once There Was based on your "quiet and full of wonder and sparkles" rec. I keep MEANING to pick up the first Veronica Speedwell book when I'm in the Light Historical Mystery mood—have you read Sherry Thomas' Lady Sherlock books? I've read four of them (I think?), and they're hands down my fave Sherlock Holmes re-imaginings.
ALLERGY HIVES!!! I am so sorry, that is monstrous. I've only really started having spring allergies in the last few years, but mostly mine seem to just present as low-key sinus headache-y nonsense. Hives are a whole different level, oof. And I'm sorry about the insomnia, too, that's miserable—and it's so impossible to get brain work done when you're exhausted and fighting with your own body. I hope you can fit in some of your own version of Comfort Gingerbread this weekend.
Reading: I just started The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk which is massive! Someone told me it took them three months to read, but I need to get it done in a month to make a newsletter deadline. Yikes! Watching: Other than the Knicks, I’m going to see Return of the Jedi which is back in theaters this weekend for its 40th anniversary. Thinking: It’s Friday, I’m tired and behind on everything. Whew!
Oooh, that one *is* gigantic! I've only had a few library patrons take it home, but the ones who have have come back and requested her other stuff, so it definitely seems like a hit for those who aren't scared off by the page count.
I haven't been to the movies in AGES (like, pre-pandemic), and I've been feeling the itch--maybe I'll try to do that this weekend to push back on the gray day overload. (Among other things, I'd very much like to see the Nic Cage as Dracula movie, mostly because I'm hoping for Extreme Cage Action.)
Good luck with being behind on everything, I hope you don't run yourself ragged!
Thanks! Hope you get out to see and enjoy Renfield. I read Dracula last year for the first time and thought they could make a whole movie about that character and then, poof!, they did, sorta, lol!
Reading: After finishing The Thing, I picked up The Hellbound Heart (AKA, Hellraiser). I've always wanted to read some of the Hellraiser content, having seen most (if not all) of the Hellraiser movies.
Watching: We watched Pearl on Sunday (it's a prequel story to X). Pearl was incredible. We're also going through Alice in Borderland on Netflix, which is kinda like a Squid Game style story. Not that they are much alike, but it does involve a game that is awful and people being forced to play it.
Oh, you know, despite having seen a good number of the Hellraiser movies--we've watched the original a ton, and most of the sequels (including the new-new one) at least once--I've never any of Barker's actual stories. That's a GREAT idea, I'm definitely going to put that on my to do list.
I haven't seen X or Pearl yet, but they're both on the list. I'm super-glad to hear that it's solid--I love House of the Devil and Innkeepers, but I haven't seen any of his other stuff.
Mia Goth's performance in Pearl is insanely good at times. Like too good.
So far I've only downed the first chapter of Hellbound Heart, but I'm excited. Hellraiser stuff can be fun.
Well, now I have developed FOMO about a book that came out in 1986, so I just put in an interlibrary loan request for it, hahahaha.
😂 I'm pretty sure FOMO doesn't apply for 1986. And I don't even know if it's good yet myself.
I rarely develop FOMO about new things, hahahaha.
Welp. There ya go.