Welp I accidentally read the whole thing in one sitting and really enjoyed it. I liked that they communicated with each other for the most part and they built each other up. Win and Bo definitely became better people because they met each other.

Starting the tagged today while Rolo works out his post vet check up aggression.

I normally hate to double post but I also finished this in audio today. I enjoyed the characters but I don't know if it was the fact that it was supposed to be a character driven novel and just didn't have the oomph to really make up for the lack of plot action or what but was a little disappointing. The characters do grow and learn from each other but it felt a little too long and drawn out for any meaningful relationships to form.

I absolutely loved this! Even having lived through the proliferation of reality tv there was so much to learn even about shows I actively watch(ed). This mainly focuses on American tv so it would be interesting if someone wrote about international reality tv history.

This was fun. I've meant to read all the Newbery winners in order but I did this one out of order because I'm chasing those seasonal goodreads achieves. I was curious how the characters and situations would come together with all their quirks. If I had to choose favorites I would go with Turtle and Chris but it's very hard to choose because they all have their own charms.

I liked this one better than the first! Diana and Jeremy were so stubborn that it was interesting to see them fall for each other. I like that it wasn't just a miscommunication that kept them apart but the fact that they had certain perceptions of self that made it hard to connect.

I can't believe it's time for the June #BookSpin lists! I've been doing much better this year about keeping up with the selections and have read at least one of the draws for each month so far. The bad news is the books adding to the list are getting chonkier. New to the list this month are the tagged and Pushing Ice.

This was a fun and quick read typical of the genre. I liked seeing how they would prank each other within the strictures of society. Even though most of the characters behaved childishly it was good escapism. Although this is definitely a case of blown out of proportion miscommunication.

I‘ve finally emerged from a weeklong hyperfixation binge of books I don‘t keep track of and can now enjoy reading in the yard with Rolo again. Shoutout to the Libby app for saving me the expense of buying the books I binged.

It‘s almost Big Brother US season so I thought it would be fitting to start the tagged while Rolo and I get some vitamin D
#DogsOfLitsy

I enjoyed this because there's a lot to unpack about identity and truth of self. I will say though it's built on a similar framework as The First 15 Lives of Harry August so I wouldn't read them back to back.

This was a good book but I think it was just too literary for my tastes. I thought the Miri chapters wandered into the weeds a bit too much and the Leah chapters didn't quite cover enough of the story to make up for that.

This was a contemporary retelling of Persuasion but I didn't know that going in. I think in many ways it keeps the charm of the original with subtle changes to make it more modern. I liked learning more about Pakistani American culture and was really rooting for Asma and Farooq.

This is the follow up to Mickey7 and I kind of liked this one better. The emphasis is less on how Mickey is an expendable and more on his diplomatic efforts with the Creepers. We get to see more of the planet and the other life on it.

Popcorn sci-fi that only lightly touches on cloning and personhood.

I really enjoyed this and I'm sad the next installment isn't out yet. Very girl goes to magic school with dragons but done in an interesting way. Excellent take on fighting colonialism.

HAPPY #BOOKSPIN DAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE!

I'm really looking forward to getting to these two selections. I've already acquired my BS, Touch, through Libby so I can read it when it's slow on desk at work. The tagged is my DS and I'm also curious about it because I've yet to read anything by this author.

This was interesting to me because the premise is that there is a species of people that live through eating books/ink that look human but are decidedly not. It's kind of a take on vampires but so different from other vampire variations that I've seen.

Rolo and I are enjoying the sun while I read the tagged. This book has been exceeding my expectations.

After the crazy OTT hijinks of the previous installment this felt like a nice lazy slice of life. There was still a mystery and a fair bit of hijinks but way more manageable. I also liked getting to know more about some side characters.

I can't believe it's almost time for the May #BookSpin draw! New to the list this month are the tagged and Red Mars. I'm still a little bit behind on my challenge reads but hopefully I'll make more progress soon.

Low pick because Tevari and Avra's relationship was very toxic and it was fairly off putting but the rest was fun. I think the strength of this was Julian and his mission of knowledge for the masses. This was at times funny, seriously weird, and a little bit uncomfortable. It absolutely does not take itself seriously which I think I needed.

Another fun installment of the series. I like how mismatched Wendell and Emily are because it's always entertaining. Emily is her scholarly self and can't help but research her way into more trouble.

I wasn't really aware of the case so this was an absolute ride of a book. Normally I have to slow down with non-fiction works but this read almost as smoothly as fiction and I tore through it in two days.

This was so melodramatic and normally I am here for that but idk. Out of the two POVs I would say Kaede's was more interesting than Takeo's. She goes from having no agency at all to discovering her inner strength.

Rolo and I are reading on the couch in between bouts of changing laundry from the washer to the dryer.

I found this helpful to add broader context to the works of Judy Blume than I had experiencing her work as a child of the 80s and 90s. It goes into what was happening at the time, both in her life and culturally, when she was writing some of her most popular works. It also does a nice parallel talk about censorship in the 80s and 90s versus today.

This exceeded my expectations. Although, I think claiming that it is loosely based on the Hades/Persephone myth takes away from what it actually is. Ododo is a fascinating character to watch as she slowly tries to reclaim her agency. I listened to the audio and it was fantastic.

New book. A day off. Good weather for outside reading. Rolo is happy as well. Although I could have done without the gigantic grasshopper flying directly at me when I came down the porch stairs.
#DogsOfLitsy

Just as delightful as the first one. The dynamics between the ladies is very entertaining and I like that there is a mix of backstory to enhance the main timeline's events. I would absolutely follow any adventures these ladies go on.

Library hold came in so that‘s my afternoon sorted. Excuse my reading buddy he‘s a little excited to be outside.
#DogsOfLitsy

Very philosophical genre fiction. Normally I don't go for the more literary or thought experiment sci fan but this was very good and I didn't actually mind that there are no real plot answers.

This book was filled with unbridled feminine rage and I was here for it for the most part. I will say though that it was a little emotionally exhausting by the end because that much rage is exhausting even when it's not your own.

I really thought this was an interesting way to tie up the duology. It very much had the same interesting world and characters but there was a deeper look into overcoming trauma that the first only lightly touched on. I really liked seeing a glimpse into more backstory into the conditions of the first volume.

I probably wouldn't have finished this if I didn't have to lead the discussion for this at work this month. The twists and mystery were fine but it was very hard to connect with the characters. So many bad people behaving badly.

HAPPY #BOOKSPIN DAY to all who celebrate!
I'm not too sure how I feel about this draw tbh. The tagged is my BookSpin and The Book Eaters is my Double. I just don't know if I'm in the headspace for historical family drama even if there is a bit of fantasy mixed in.

I really enjoyed the world and the characters. I wish I had the strength of self and commitment to hold on to my dreams and ambitions like Lazlo. I was not thrilled at the cliffhanger like ending but I am intrigued enough to read the second half of the duology.

Normally I bounce off sci fi with heavy philosophical components but I really enjoyed this one. I think it's because of the main character Ellie. Because this was written in the 80s I did find it a little odd when I encountered the mix of old and new tech. Like, they had holographic projections/images and yet they used magnetic tape recording devices and fax machines.

Ten days ago I started a binge listen of the entire Murderbot Series which was cathartic after being depressed from doomscrolling. Today I am starting a binge listen of the entire Murderbot Series because work is making me incandescent with rage. Hoopla is probably sitting there thinking, “Bitch, we just did this!“

I can't believe it's almost April but I am so here for the next #BookSpin draw!

As always thanks to @TheAromaofBooks for hosting!

I feel like this is the fantasy equivalent of Red Rising in a good way. Vis, the protagonist, comes from a different background than Darrow of Red Rising but there's the same underdog nature in their trials to come out on top of an elite academy. This was over 600 pages and I read it in almost two days because I was so invested in what was going on. I just wish the second book was out already.

This was a fun collection of short story adventures featuring the very prosaic and conflict shy Fred the vampire. Each story builds off the previous but are also self contained adventures. I e heard complaints that the fix up nature of the book leads to too much repetition but it wasn‘t enough to bother me.

This was very magical and lyrical but a little bit lacking in substance. The world building was great and I enjoyed my time in the world I just wanted a little bit more than what I got. Very Studio Ghibli vibes.

I decided to test out my beginner knitting skills by making a book snake reading tracker. I‘m very pleased it‘s only a little “rustic” looking so far. I‘m also laughing at the comically large (2lbs) bag of stuffing I accidentally ordered.
#CraftersOfLitsy

Sort of a middle of the road pick. I was intrigued by the premise and appreciated the research but I still wanted something more from this. I did find it a quick read and enjoyed the time spent with it. There was also a bit more body horror than I was expecting.

Very sort of introspective vibes that I really enjoyed. The internet basically evolved into digital ghosts creating a post-apocalyptic world. I came for the cat ghost but stayed for the bees. A good look into grief and interpersonal relationships. Also the start of found family.

I am taking full advantage of my day off to get in some backyard reading. The tagged book sold me on it with mentions of the cat in the blurbs but I feel like the bees are really stealing the show.

I‘m starting to feel almost a little uncomfortable with how all the spec fic I‘m reading has eerie concordance with the realities of the current moment. This is essentially a first contact story but there‘s a lot of things to unpack about personal autonomy and symbiosis with the environment.

I've never read this before but I can see why so many like it. I found this so nice and soothing almost especially when trying not to doomscroll. I really liked Anne and have so many questions about her mother seeing how she turned out in comparison to the rest of her family.

It's not yet midnight here so i can still say HAPPY #BOOKSPIN DAY to all who celebrate! I think my March draws are an interesting combo and I'm most excited for my DoubleSpin which is the tagged. My BookSpin this month is a little chunkier than the rest of my list because it's actually a two for one volume.