Sunday, January 24, 2021

The Sunday Post #259

 

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The Sunday Post is a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, tell you what I’m reading, and share news. It’s hosted by The Caffeinated Book ReviewerReaderbuzz, and Book Date.



 

The Sunday Post #259

 

 

 

 

On The Blog Last Week

 

 

 

 

 

On The Blog This Week

 

  • On Saturday there’s a book haul.

 

 

 

 

In My Reading Life

 

Last week, I finished The Wolves Of Winter by Tyrell Johnson. It’s a dystopia set in Yukon Territory. I flew through the beginning because it hooked me right away. It starts with a mysterious stranger showing up at a settlement deep in the wilderness. Then the book becomes more science-fiction-ish. One of the characters is captured by a potentially evil government organization. That’s where it lost me a little. I feel like I’ve read a lot of dystopias about potentially evil government organizations. The book got a bit predictable and tropey. Luckily, that was my only issue. The rest is pretty freakin’ awesome. I love the morally gray characters and all their secrets. I love the quick pacing and the remote setting that forces people to make difficult choices. Now, where’s the sequel? This book needs a sequel!




Then I finished All The Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater. I have mixed feelings about this one. It’s about a family of saints who can perform bizarre “miracles” that are more like curses. The writing style is clever, lively, and made me laugh. It reminds me of the tall tales I grew up hearing at Girl Scout camps. The story is set in Colorado, which is where I live. I love coming across familiar landscapes in books. The author does a fabulous job of describing the setting. Unfortunately, the “tall tale” writing style isn’t great for developing characters because they all feel cartoonish and shallow. Even at the end of the book, I had a hard time remembering who was who and how they were related. We’re told that characters are falling in love, but we don’t really get to see it happen. This is a fun, escapist story that took a lot of skill to write, but I don’t think it’ll stick in my brain. I wasn’t very invested in the characters.




Right now, I’m reading Surviving The Extremes: What Happens To The Body And Mind At The Limits Of Human Endurance by Kenneth Kamler, M.D. It’s fascinating! And it’s keeping me up until 2 in the morning because I can’t stop reading. The book is exactly what it says on the cover. The author is an “extreme medicine” doctor who works with astronauts, deep ocean divers, and mountain climbers. The book is about what happens to humans in environments that are not human-friendly. The stories the author tells are simultaneously terrifying and amazing. That’s why I can’t stop reading them.




 

 

In The Rest Of My Life

 

Five things that made me happy last week:

 

  1. My entire Twitter timeline is just “cold Bernie Sanders” memes. It’s weird, but they amuse me. Keep up the excellent Photoshop work, Twitter.
  2. Watching hockey while playing The Sims. I’m not a great Sims player, and I get distracted by hockey, so my Sims die more often than they should. Oops. My Sim family has a nice little cemetery in their backyard. And their house is very, very haunted. RIP family members.
  3. I posted 3 different lists of my most-anticipated books of 2021. These lists take a massive amount of research. I like making them, but I’m glad they’re done. Please check out my posts about upcoming middlegrade books, or upcoming young adult books, or upcoming adult books.
  4. My dog’s ear infection is finally cured! She was miserable for weeks, which means I was miserable for weeks because she’s overly dramatic about everything.
  5. My last few 6k runs have been faster than usual. I’m still the slowest runner ever, but progress! Tiny seconds of progress! My 10k runs are still disasters. Don't be too proud of me.

 

 

 

 

Watch me blather about books and sims

 

 

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






39 comments:

  1. Poor pup! Did you have to do ear washes and the whole massage the meds in their ear canal thing? Punishing for both of you. Glad to hear the dog is better.

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  2. I am loving the cold Bernie Sanders memes a lot as well. I am a Stiefvater fan but I've been avoiding all the crooked saints as I have heard it is one of her more mediocre reads. I am glad your dog is getting better and running progress is being made!

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  3. I'm glad your dog is finally OK :) I'm not American but now, I think I could recognize cold Bernie Sanders everywhere, lol !

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  4. The Bernie memes are so funny. I feel like he's very real. So glad your dog is feeling better, AJ. One of my daughter's dogs has chronic ear problems so she has to clean out the ears every week or so. Luckily, Juneau is really good about it. Good for you with your 6k's.

    I hope you have a great reading week. I'm off to check your posts!

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  5. I ran for years, and the best I ever did was to come in fourth. In a race in the rain. With only four people in my age category. After a woman who was eight months pregnant. I walk now.

    Forgot to bring your book is my favorite so far. Thanks!

    I think I'd like Surviving the Extremes, too. I read a book last year that reminds me of that called Wild Girl. The author takes on extreme challenges, and it was quite a fun read.

    Have a lovely week!

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  6. I'm loving all the Bernie memes - it's really so applicable to so many areas of my life!

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  7. I am glad your dog is feeling better and...yes Bernie LOL

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  8. So glad your dog is feeling better. That must have been rough.

    Love that you are running more. I'd like to make a habit for it somewhere in my schedule but not sure where to find some time yet. But you have got me thinking - so maybe I'll try this week.

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  9. The Bernie memes gave me LIFE this week! I love them! Hurray for running progress! I've probably lost some, but it's nice to feel like you're doing something!

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  10. I'm also really enjoying the Bernie Sanders memes! The one you shared is one of my favorites! Also, like, an actual picture of me when I'm, say, at a ball game and forgot my book.

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  11. I love the Forgot the Book image - it's exactly how I feel when I find myself hanging around without my ebook:)). And so glad your dog's ear is finally better - I've had my share of earache so I can relate, no wonder she was miserable... I hope the coming week is an even better one, AJ:)

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  12. I am laughing all the time with the Bernie memes! Well at least you are running - I'm struggling with walking right now. Wolves of Winter definitely needs a sequel! I love that books and hope there will be more.

    Anne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post

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  13. Our chocolate lab is having ear infection problems also! She's on her second kind of medication. I'll be happy if when she goes back to the vet in 2 weeks they say that it is clear. Poor puppies :(

    Colletta

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  14. The Bernie memes are the best!! So much fun :)

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  15. Bernie Sanders is really lovable these days! He says it's fun, but should be good for people, so he's selling sweatshirts and other authorized Berine-at-Inauguration themed things to make money for Meals on Wheels and other food providers. I never favored his campaigns, but I think he has a lot of good ideas.

    be safe... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  16. I love the Bernie memes. They are so funny and make me laugh. We all need a good laugh. Have a great week!

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  17. I am glad you are enjoying Surviving the Extremes. It does sound fascinating. I have been enjoying the Bernie Sanders memes too. Even my daughter who has no idea who he is is getting into them, asking me each day if there are new ones to see. I am glad your dog's ear infection is gone. That must be a big relief. I hope you have a great week, AJ.

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  18. Love the "forgot a book" Bernie. This is the first time I saw this one.
    I liked The Wolves of Winter too.
    I am glad your dog's ear infection has cleared up.
    Have a good week and Happy Reading!

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  19. I'm also incredibly entertained by all the Bernie memes! Such a change that THAT is what we remember from the inauguration...so different from 4 years ago!

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  20. I actually loved All the Crooked Saints. I found the magical realism so cool. I actually understood it. Ha!

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  21. Oh, I love your Bernie meme. I included a bunch on my post this week.

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  22. I feel the same way about Wolves of winter and every time I check for a sequel I never see one coming! Frustrating. :)

    Bernie is everywhere!!!!! :))):))

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  23. I come from a running family, but was never good at it, myself. I prefer dancing now! I feel the same way about tall tales; character development is really what I'm usually reading for. Your book lists are impressive! Now you don't have to think about what to read next, all year long!

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  24. I also love those Bernie Sanders memes...and those mittens! LOL

    Enjoy your week and your books, and here are my WEEKLY UPDATES

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  25. The Bernie memes are hilarious. I have seen him on the Starship Enterprise, at Hogwarts, the last supper and more. I have never played The Sims, you have me curious.

    Our dog had ear infections as she was a prick earred dog which evidently are more prone to the infections. I am glad it's under control.

    Thanks for highlightng Survicing Extremes, that sounds like one I need to get.

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  26. Love seeing all the places Bernie Sanders turns up. So many talented Photoshop users! Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  27. I'm so glad your dog is feeling better!! And those memes are cracking me up! LOL

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  28. We share very similar thoughts with regards to The Wolves of Winter.

    Wishing you a happy new week - bookish & otherwise.

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  29. The Bernie memes are entertaining me too. And I'm so glad your dog's ear infection is better. Poor pup! And yay for running! Even if you're the slowest runner out there you're still doing great! Have a great week!

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  30. The Bernie memes are great! He is such a good sport about it too. Congrats on running faster and I am glad that your dog is feeling better! Have a great week!

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  31. I would prefer a twitter timeline full of Bernie memes to what I usually see on there. Lol.

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  32. That dystopia sounds really good, though it's been snowing all day here (around Chicago), so for now, I don't want to rea about cold and snow, lol

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  33. I sent that exact Bernie meme to my aunt and one of my best friends! :-D My knees have been bothering me for about a year so I haven't been for a run/in--you guessed it--about a year. Even when I ran 3 days a week, I was the slowest runner ever. I promise you're faster than I ever was. And the fact that you're running in Colorado in the winter--! I applaud you!

    I lost track of Maggie Stiefvater somewhere around The Scorpio Races so I really need to get caught up with her books. I truly enjoyed the ones I've read.

    Surviving the Extremes made it onto my TBR during Nonfiction November. I'm glad to hear another positive (so far) review of it!

    Enjoy your week!

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  34. The Bernie memes are hilarious. I love how creative people have been with them. I had the same experience when I read All The Crooked Saints, which was a bummer since I really enjoyed The Raven Cycle. Yay for making progress with your running. :)

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  35. So it appears Tyrell Johnson lives in Canada now - about 7 hrs away from here ... I'm going to have to check out his book set in the Yukon! it's Cold up there!

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  36. I just LOVE the Bernie memes. He's a huge hit here in The Netherlands!

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  37. Bernie memes have been such entertainment. And did you see that crocheted Bernie that's been making the rounds? So cute!

    My Bella has an ear infection too, so I can definitely relate to that. When your pup is miserable, you're miserable!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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  38. Haha the Bernie memes have indeed been everywhere, but they've also been such a fun highlight lately :) Glad to hear your dog's feeling better!

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  39. I hope you had a good week, and I am happy to hear your pupper wupper is okay 🌞

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