Sunday, May 9, 2021

The Sunday Post #272

 

Photo of a mother possum with 9 babies hanging on her back and head. The text says "Happy Mother's Day."
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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 #272

 

 

 

 

On The Blog Recently

 

 

 

 

 

In My Reading Life

 

This is a burrowing owl. This photo is not mine. Obviously. (Thanks, Wikipedia.)

You won’t believe how many audiobooks I finished last week. Six! I “read” so many audiobooks because my day job suddenly got extremely boring. I’ve been listening to books while staring at random fields for hours, and hours, and hours. The goal of my field-staring is to locate burrowing owls. They’re allegedly nesting right now. I say “allegedly” because I’ve seen exactly 0 burrowing owls. I have seen golden eagles, hawks, crows, magpies, deer, rabbits, coyotes, horses, construction workers, and about 10 billion prairie dogs. So . . . that was my week. Here’s what I listened to while not finding owls:




First was Not So Pure And Simple by Lamar Giles. Loved it! Five stars. I had tons of fun listening to this book. It’s a young adult contemporary novel about a teen boy who has a crush on a girl at his church. He schemes up ways to spend more time with her and accidentally ends up joining their church’s Purity Pledge. The book is hilarious, relevant, and timely. It’ll make you smile, and then it’ll make you cringe with second-hand embarrassment. The author tackles a bunch of difficult topics related to sex education. Occasionally, the author gets a bit heavy handed with the morals, but I didn’t care because the world needs this book! It talks openly about sex. I wish every teenager had the opportunity to read this novel. We need to encourage young people to have conversations about consent and honesty in their relationships. I highly recommend this book.




Next was My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. I loved this one too! I understand why some readers find the ending disappointing, though. The writing and characters are so captivating that I expected a bigger bang from the end. The story is set in Nigeria and stars two sisters who are opposites. One is flighty and beautiful and uses her looks to get away with literal murder. The other is plain and responsible and buries the bodies her sister leaves behind. It’s a very engaging book. I couldn’t stop listening because I was completely invested in the sisters’ lives. Also, I found the story weirdly relatable. It’s about how society is willing to overlook the bad behavior of beautiful women and how parents have different expectations for their older and younger children. Neither of my sisters are serial killers (as far as I know), but I still saw parallels between our lives and the lives of the characters. Even though I didn’t like the book’s ending, I still recommend this novel. It’s one that will stick with me for a long time.




Up next was Release by Patrick Ness. For your information, this book is NOT safe for work! I knew it was about romantic relationships, but I didn’t realize there’d be so many sex scenes. I’m pretty sure the characters spend 1/3 of the book in bed. So . . . that’s awkward. Good thing I had headphones. This is a difficult book to review because I don’t think I completely “got” it. It’s part contemporary fiction about a teen boy in a love triangle and part fantasy about the ghost of a murdered girl. I found the teen characters believable. They’re all confused, and angry, and passionate. I like that they learn they’re worthy of love and respect. Patrick Ness is a supremely talented writer. My issues all come from the book’s structure. It’s weird. And distracting. It’s disjointed and never fully came together for me. The book was entertaining while I was listening to it, but when it was over, I was left going, “Why did we need all that weird ghost girl stuff?” The fantasy parts are too bizarre for my tastes.




Then I listened to Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. People, allow me to introduce you to my new favorite book of 2021! It’s simple and stunningly written. I think this novel-in-verse is destined to become a classic. In 100 years, schools will force their students to write essays about it (and the students will complain endlessly because they don’t recognize its brilliance). The plot of Long Way Down reminds me of A Christmas Carol, but it’s set in a modern, inner-city apartment building. Most of the story takes place on an elevator. Yep, a 300-page elevator ride. (I swear it’s not as boring as it sounds!) A teenager’s brother is murdered, and the teen sets out to get revenge. When he steps into the elevator in his apartment building, a ghost gets on with him. The elevator stops at every floor, and a new ghost gets on at each stop. That’s when the Christmas Carol vibes start. The ghosts force the teen to confront his choices and reevaluate his decision to commit murder. It’s a thoroughly modern ghost story! And, best of all, it never gets preachy or heavy-handed! The author treats his (deeply flawed) characters with compassion and lets the readers draw their own conclusions. I have zero complaints about this book. Please read it! It’s short and unique and definitely worth your time.




Next up was We Are Okay by Nina LaCour. This is one of those young adult books that remind me I’m no longer a young adult. It has too much angst for my tastes. It’s an emotionally heavy story. It’s about a college freshman who cuts herself off from everyone in her life after her grandfather dies. Then, her ex-girlfriend shows up at her dorm and demands to know what’s going on. The book is a well-written and accurate portrayal of depression, but I was never fully invested in it because nothing happens! The character is so depressed that she doesn’t do anything. I found my mind wandering while I listened to the audiobook. It’s not a terrible book, but I feel like I’ve already forgotten it.




Okay, one more. My last audiobook was Red At The Bone by Jacqueline Woodson. I keep reading Jacqueline Woodson’s books because I love her writing style, but I always end up feeling “meh” about the book as a whole. That’s what happened with this one. It’s about a teenage girl’s coming-of-age party. She’s thinking about her future and about the lives of her parents and grandparents. The structure jumps backward and forward in time and examines how each character arrived at this exact moment in their lives. The book is too short! Where’s the rest of it? I was interested in every character’s story, but they flashed by too quickly. I wanted more time with them. This seems to happen to me with every Jacqueline Woodson book. They’re either too long or not long enough. I’ll keep reading them, though.




Right now, I’m reading Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I’ll admit I’m only reading it because I loved the “Crows” sections of the Shadow & Bone TV show. The book is about a gang of young criminals in a fantasy world who are trying to pull off a heist. It’s . . . very average so far. I don’t hate it, but it’s not holding my attention. I think that’s because it has multiple perspectives. Some characters are more interesting than others.

 

 

 

 

In The Rest Of My Life

 

Five things that made me happy recently:

 

  1. Finishing 6 audiobooks and enjoying them all.
  2. Watching a lightning storm while failing to spot owls. Have you ever looked at lightning through binoculars? It’s bright. I probably fried my eyeballs.
  3. Who watched Shadow & Bone on Netflix? I read the first book years ago and didn’t like it. I liked the show! It’s fun. I loved the set design and costumes. I want season 2!
  4. There’s a random coyote at my job who is excellent at entertaining the park visitors. It doesn’t get near humans, but it hangs out in an open field, and it’s very bouncy and active. Lots of visitors stop to take pictures of it. I like seeing happy visitors because I often have to deal with the belligerent ones.
  5. This song.

 


 

 


Let’s Be Friends

 

 

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

 





33 comments:

  1. I'm sorry no burrowing owls appeared. Perhaps (and I say this very gently) perhaps they are...burrowing, and not in view. It seems likely, in fact.

    I've never seen a burrowing owl. I've never seen an owl of any sort. I hope you will see one.

    Not So Pure and Simple sounds like it's a fun read. Teen times are awkward times. Nothing quite fits and your body is constantly changing and other people are completely inexplicable. Whew. Be glad those times are behind you.

    I'm a huge fan of Long Way Down. Have you met Jason Reynolds? I have, and it was love at first sight. He was holding a baby at Book Expo. It wasn't his, but the baby was perfectly happy in his arms, and we know that never happens in real life, but somehow it was. He shines with this feeling of Respect for Others, too. Oh, I just can't talk rationally about him.

    Have you read The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson? It's my favorite, but it's probably because I read it aloud 1,000,000 times.

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  2. Great song! I don't like reading Woodson either.

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  3. YES! I am excited to see you liked Lamar Giles' book. I cannot believe there was not more noise about this book. It was excellent. Reynolds' book was amazing for me too. It packed quite a punch for a short book. I read If You Come Softly by Woodson, which I liked, but that's all I have ever read from her. SoC was great for me, which is saying a lot as I don't really like fantasy. Hope you see that owl soon.

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  4. Wow, six audiobooks in one week! I'm lucky to finish one in six weeks, lol. Hopefully the owls will make an appearance soon!

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  5. 6 audio books!! I'm seriously impressed. I can imagine a lightening storm through binoculars was pretty intense. Fingers crossed that you see owls soon. That's crazy about the coyote. We have them around here but they are definitely not happy and bouncy! Hope you have a great week!

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  6. Owls are definitely curious creatures. I haven't even seen any, in real life...but I love the way they look.

    Enjoy all those books...and thanks for sharing. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  7. I agree with you on My sister The Serial Killer. I didn't like the ending, but it made sense. The sister had the choice and she didn't choose the way I wanted her to choose. And the story sticks with a reader. It's haunting. I have just added Long Way Down to my TBR, it sounds really good thanks for sharing. Have a great week, let us know if you see any burrowing owls!

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  8. This was a very entertaining post to read. I hope you are able to spot some burrowing owls, soon! Maybe they knew the storm was coming and didn't want to get killed by lightening so they hunkered...er...burrowed down!

    I like your book reviews because they tell me enough to make the books sound more interesting than the back cover / inside flap blurbs do, yet not enough to spoil anything. Thank you!

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  9. Wow, 6 audio books in one week! That's amazing. I usually take about 2 weeks for one. I hope you have a great week!

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  10. Your job sounds fun and interesting. I am glad you loved all the books you read this week. I remember enjoying My Sister, The Serial Killer as well.

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  11. That’s so cool that you can listen to books while working. Hopefully, you will find some burrowing owls soon or be able to move on. Have a wonderful week 😊

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  12. Six audiobooks is amazing, but too bad about those owls. There is a city near here that has a large protected area for burrowing owls and this seems to be there busy time. I've never seen one though.... but I did see two eastern screech owls yesterday!

    I loved the audio production of My Sister the Serial Killer... the narrator's accent was amazing. As for Red at the Bone, I think the audio production was the best thing about the book. Sigh.

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  13. I read Six of Crows a couple years ago and really didn't enjoy it, so while my husband watched Shadow & Bone, I did other things!

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  14. The book blurbs are so much fun. :) And lightning storms are great, as long as they're far away. Or at least, not too dangerously close. I love good thunderstorms. That coyote sounds amazing- I wonder if he's aware he's providing so much entertainment. :) I swear. Sometimes the animals know. :):)

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  15. I confuse I’ve never read Six of Crows. Everyone raves like it’s the best thing ever but I imagine I’d feel like you.

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  16. I love the idea of you going through audio books while trying to spot burrowing owls. :-)

    I have read 4 of the audio books that you read and liked them all to varying degrees. I will add Not So Pure and Simple to my TBR list.

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  17. Will you let us know when you see a burrowing owl? I know you will! Owls are elusive - I always look for them here ... but haven't seen one for a couple years. My Sister, the Serial Killer is a good audio! I liked it too. Enjoy your week.

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  18. Beautiful owl!

    Wow, that's a lot of audiobooks! I've loved the Woodson books I've read, and the ones I haven't are in my tbr list.

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  19. Good luck finding owls! At least you had the audios for entertainment. Happy reading!

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  20. That's amazing. I generally get through one a month, but mostly when driving. I have only seen a couple of burrowing owls in my life. I hope you see some and they've not become owl nuggets for the coyotes.

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  21. Sorry about the eyeballs!

    I haven't read Shadow and Bone. I'm interested in watching the show and, generally, I like to read the books before I see the movie/show. However, I don't see an opening to read the books in the near future so I may just go ahead and watch it.

    Have a great week!

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  22. Wow.. Six audiobooks in one week? That's amazing!
    I just finished reading Shadow and Bone, and I loved it. I can't wait to start watching the tv show next.
    Have a great week and happy reading.

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  23. I read the first Shadow & Bone book years ago and thought it was just okay. I never continued the series. But I'm hearing really good things about the TV show. I don't have Netflix (and seldom watch TV) so I'll have to take everyone's word for it. LOL

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  24. I've heard from lots of people now that the show Shadow & Bone is a lot better than the books. Usually it's the other way around! Lol.

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  25. Are you sure there really are burrowing owls? Or are they something like snipe? I'm glad you enjoyed your audiobooks. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  26. I once got to pet a prairie dog and honestly, best day ever. XD I'm glad you got to listen to some great books while hunting owls! Haha!

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  27. That's one thing I love about modern technology--with my phone I have books and audio books and stupid games at my disposal just about anywhere. No need to sit in silence or "just" wait for something.

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  28. I cannot imagine spending an entire week looking for an owl that never made an appearance. Thankfully, you were able to knock out some audiobooks while keeping an eye out. I really want to read Long Way Down - it sounds fantastic! I listen to books at work and sometimes it is weird to listen to a lot of sex with people around. I always wonder if they can really hear what I am listening to. I hope that you have a good week!

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  29. At least your less than exciting work time was productive for reading. I am glad you were able to get in so many audiobooks! I am glad you enjoyed My Sister, The Serial Killer. Alas another of my many neglected TBR books. I was so close to picking up a copy of Long Way Down the other day at the bookstore, but I didn't. I've been kicking myself ever since. I spent my Mother's Day binge watching Shadow and Bone. I really liked it. I haven't read the books but likely will at some point.

    I hope you have a great week, AJ.

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  30. I kind of love that you have an entertaining coyote at your job. Boo for not finding burrowing owls, but yay for listening to some great audiobooks. I still really need to check out Long Way Down soon.

    Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  31. Six audio books is awesome! I've been in the middle of Six of Crows for awhile. I've been holding off on the show until I finish it.

    Happy reading and owl watching!

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  32. You never fail to make me laugh. I'm so glad you were able to listen to all those audiobooks! I am able to do that when I am on a road trip.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  33. I'm one of those people who loves to see all kinds of wildlife, so I'd be eagerly watching that cavorting coyote. Sorry you didn't find any burrowing owls, but I guess it's good you've getten to listen to plenty of audiobooks?

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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