Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Sunday Post #209

A blog to fill the weird dark void in your life.




The Sunday Post is hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, and The Sunday Salon is hosted by Readerbuzz. They’re a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, and share news. It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Book Date. I get to tell you what I’ve read recently. This post contains affiliate links. I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.




Public Service Announcement


Read All The Things! needs a new header. Since I’m completely hopeless at art stuff, I set up a poll where you can vote on potential headers. The whole blog will be getting a makeover, so it doesn’t matter how the new header looks with the current design. Just pick your favorite. I can’t promise I’ll pick the most popular design, but I’d love to know what you think. Click here to vote.








On The Blog Last Week












On The Blog This Week


  • On Tuesday I show you some upcoming middlegrade releases that I’m excited about.
  • On Wednesday we talk about the books coming out in the first half of February.









In My Reading Life


I did it! It took me two months, but I finally finished Best-Loved Folktales of the World by Joanna Cole. Last week, I read tales from North America, the Caribbean and West Indies, and Central and South America. My favorite tale from North America is “The Girl Who Married A Ghost” (Nisqualli Tribe). It’s about a woman whose life becomes immensely more complicated when she discovers that her new husband is a ghost. My favorite story from the Caribbean and West Indies is “Bouki Rents A Horse” (Haiti). The moral of that story: Be careful who you scam. They might be scamming you back. I had a few favorites from Central and South America. I liked “Brer Rabbit, Businessman” (Costa Rica). It stars a rabbit who casually murders housewives for $2 each. I also liked “The Deer And The Jaguar Share A House” (Brazil). It’s about choosing your roommates wisely.




I finished Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. This book is complicated and brilliant and lives up to the hype! It’s a memoir that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The author had a scary childhood. She was raised in a survivalist compound by her religious extremist parents. They didn’t believe in sending their children to school or in taking them to hospitals to treat potentially deadly emergencies. I had to keep reminding myself that this is a true story. I don’t know how the author survived.

My only tiny complaint about the book is that I wish the author had waited longer to write it. I think if she had more distance from the events, her conclusions/attitudes would have been more solid and mature.




Right now, I’m reading Nevermoor: The Trials Of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend. It’s hugely entertaining so far. I have laughed many times. It reminds me of a cross between the Harry Potter series and Alice In Wonderland.








In The Rest Of My Life


Five things that made me happy last week:

  1. My reading week was excellent. I finished the folktales book! Finally. Educated and Nevermoor are awesome too.
  2. Is anyone watching The Outsider on HBO? I don’t know how I feel about it yet, but I’m very interested. I haven’t read the book. (*Gasp!* Yes, I am watching the show before I read the book.)
  3. The baby can walk now! She took her first steps, and they were hilarious. She walks with her hands in the air and her legs rigid. It's more of a waddle than a walk.
  4. Thank you to everyone who has already voted in my new header poll.
  5. I randomly joined the Pondathon Readathon because everybody else was joining. I didn’t want to be left out. It’s the most complicated readathon I’ve ever participated in. It’s been fun, though. For some reason, I had to create a pond character to be my readathon avatar. This is my character. She’s a fish named Crispy Batter. She looks delicious, but she’ll cut you with her magic dagger. I’m not sure why she exists. Because she’s awesome, I guess.











My New Year’s Resolution Is To Acquire Friends















Take care of yourselves and be kind to each other! See you around the blogosphere!








42 comments:

  1. I think I liked all of them. They all suited this site, but the last one was my favorite. It had color, but still fit the feel here. The baby is walking, now the fun begins. It's a game changer. Good luck with the Pond-a-thon. I couldn't commit, but I love that it exists.

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  2. Aww I love the 5 things that made me happy section at the end! I am watching The Outsider! I read the book but my partner hasn't so it's interesting to get their reaction. I may have to join the Pondathon!

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  3. Educated sounds super interesting (and a little scary to be honest that there are people out there like that). The Pondathon readathon sounds so fun, I need to check that out now. "but she'll cut you with her magic dagger." That made me laugh. :)

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  4. Haha I love your little fish!! I don't know what the Pondathon thing is but now I am curious.

    I really want to read Educated, I need to get to it.

    And yay for walking babies!!!

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  5. I want to watch The Outsider after I read the book first, both look good.
    I've had Educated on my wishlist, glad you enjoyed it. Have fun revamping the blog! And yay to the baby walking, too cute.
    Enjoy your week!

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  6. YAY for reading some folktales....those are always so fun!!! Love your fish!!!

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  7. Ahhh yay for such a good reading week, this makes me so happy to hear :) and I'm glad you're joining the pondathon, I hope you'll have tons of fun :D

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  8. I voted on Twitter :)
    It’s always so exciting when Bub starts walking :)

    Wishing you a great reading week, and congrats on finishing those fairytales.

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  9. I voted.

    I often think memoirists write the story of their lives when they are too young. I think it enables them to share the rich details that make for a good memoir, but I agree with you that these young authors don't have as much perspective as they should have.

    Congrats on finishing that very-long folk tale book. I'm glad to see you enjoyed it so much.

    I need to look into Pondathon. I could use a bit more serendipity in my life!

    Have a great week!

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  10. I just "discovered" The Outsider and will add it to my TV watching list. Looks good. Have a great week!

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  11. Congrast on finishing the Folktales! And that memoire is one of the books that I plan to listen to in audio! Headed to your poll to vote! I will also change my header as I've commisionned an artist to design me a unique design! I have used the current one for years but have b-never found the creator despite all my research. The site who offered that one for free didn't know the creator but had never gotten any complaint. Yet that does not sit well with me and I've tried for months now to find someone ready to design something unique just for me ...We'll see what the artist come up with as I gave her free reign within some pointers.

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  12. Hooray for finishing the folktales book! Uh-oh, baby on the move... things get interesting when they're mobile. LOL I love Crispy Batter. :)

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  13. It is so funny watching babies learn to walk and run! Watch out now, she'll be everywhere!

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  14. I absolutely LOVED Educated. I never thought I would get it, but I got the ARC from NetGalley and seriously devoured it within a couple days, if that. I do agree on distance of time giving a bit of a different perspective but even so I really loved it too.

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  15. Yay for an excellent reading week! And I'm intrigued by the Pond readathon especially with the avatar. Definitely weird but very fun. Have a great week!

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  16. Congrats on finishing the folk tales books, and on the first steps!!
    I'm also doing the pondathon, but watch out, I'm in team Xiaolong!! lol

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  17. Congrats on finishing the folktales book. Two months on one book is quite the investment. I do want to read Educated and am glad to hear that you enjoyed it. It sounds like things are going to get exciting really quick at your house with the baby walking. I think that they walk for like 5 minutes and then seem to run everywhere. I hope you have a great week!

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  18. Aw, I'm so excited to hear the baby is walking!! So cute. I have Nevermoor that I hope to read soon - I'm glad it's enjoyable so far.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  19. I voted. And baby's are so much fun once they learn to walk and seek out to explore the world!

    www.thepulpitandthepen.com

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  20. It sounds like a great reading week! I've been curious about Educated.

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  21. I gasped when I read your take on Educated because that's exactly what I said! More time and distance would have elevated it from a sort of creepy voyeuristic read to something really reflective and deep, like Glass Castles. Off to vote on your poll and investigate what Pondathon is.

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  22. Well THAT'S a take on Brer Rabbit I've never heard! Haha! This is the first I've heard of that readathon but I'm off to check it out! have a great week :D

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  23. How exciting that your baby is walking! That's a milestone I felt like I waited forever and lol, I've not sat down since. I've not been able to make up my mind about Educated. On the one hand, it has a lot of good reviews. On the other, I'm sort of over books of this theme, even if they are nonfiction. I guess I need a little perspective for some time.

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  24. I completely missed that A Hand on the Wall was out. I'm looking forward to reading it! My weekly update

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  25. I am so glad you loved Educated! 🙌🙌🙌

    Aww... Brooklyn must look so cute walking. 👶

    I love Crispy B., ha ha. 😄

    Have a wonderful week! 🌞

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  26. Happy New Year! And new decade. Congrats on the baby walking, that is so sweet. Everyone has been raving about Educated lately, so I will have to pick it up soon.

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  27. Congrats on finishing the folktale book! Educated was such a powerful read... I listened to it and found myself literally cringing at times. A tough listen!

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  28. I really enjoyed Educated.

    I am curious about The Outsider.

    Enjoy your week.

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  29. Everything changes when the baby is walking!! Have fun.

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  30. I am glad you finished Best-Loved Folktales of the World! It sounds like quite a collection. You have me curious about “The Girl Who Married A Ghost.” I feel the same way about Educated as you. I think it would have benefited more if she'd waited longer. I hope you have a great week, AJ! May the best header design win (they are all great, really!).

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  31. I love everything to do with babies, and watching them learn to walk is at the top of my list!

    Good luck with the Pondathon!

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  32. Cute fish. I read The Outsider years ago. I think it was for a college class. Come see me week here. Happy reading!

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  33. I voted!
    Yay for finishing the book!
    Crispy Batter. Amazing!

    Ash @ JennReneeRead

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  34. That's an interesting perspective about educated-(" I wish the author had waited longer to write it.") I will really have to take that in consideration when I pick it up.

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  35. I liked the second option with the books in the header. I couldn't make out the first option too well as it was fuzzy but it looked interesting..

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  36. I have been intrigued by Educated, seeing it everywhere. Someday I need to read it. I looked at your headers - they all are great. I gave my favorite 5 stars. Have a great week and happy reading!

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  37. Yay for a great reading week. I rated some of the headers. I suck at graphics, all of them. I hope this week is amazing. Enjoy your books!

    Anne - Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post   

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  38. What a fun week for you! The fairy tales book sounds fascinating and fun. I thought I was the last person on earth to read Educated! Glad you got to it - I need to move it up my list.

    I just read The Outsider last summer and loved it - it had been a while since I'd read a King novel. We are dying to see the TV show but don't get HBO :(

    Hope you are enjoying your books this week, too!

    Sue

    Book By Book

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  39. It sounds like you had a great reading week. Congrats on the baby walking and on joining the Pondathon! Your character is cute :)

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  40. I'm glad you're enjoying Nevermoor! My son bought that one and it's sequel at his last school book fair so we'll be starting it soon. :)

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  41. Wow!! Seems like you've been having an amazing month and week so far. Congrats on your baby making her first steps and making some great progress on your books!

    Sharrice @Reese's Reviews

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  42. I enjoyed Educated too. I read a bit of her parents' response to the book. After I read it I was curious about how the people she met in college felt now that they knew her background.

    Donna at Girl Who Reads

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