lycomayflower looks up from her book to say "Rawr" in 2020

Welcome to my 2020 reading thread! Click here to go to my introduction post. The picture above is a shelfie of one of the bookcases in my office, featuring books on religion, mythology, Austen and Bronte criticism, my collection of crit on the TV show Supernatural (plus fannish paraphenalia, much of it gifts from fellow LTers), and classics paperbacks.

This first post contains an on-going list of the books I've read this year, with the most recent reads at the top. Click on the book title to go to the book's post within the thread, where you will find a review. Numbers in parentheses are page counts for each book. Click here to visit my 2019 thread.

Total Pages: 6,507

31.) Not a Day Goes By (276)
30.) The Uncommon Reader (audio)
29.) Family Don't End with Blood (252)

28.) Fan Phenomena: Supernatural (137)
27.) A Curious Beginning (337)
26.) Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (303)

25.) A Quiet Life in the Country (250)
24.) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (341)
23.) Fan Art (353)

22.) The Rabbit Listened
21.) Those Pesky Rabbits
20.) The Paper Bag Princess
19.) The Dream Thieves (437)
18.) Fangasm (239)
17.) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (309)

16.) Television, Religion, and Supernatural (135)
15.) Tin Man (213)
14.) Bingo Love (~100)
13.) Down among the Sticks and Bones (187)
12.) Thornhill (533)
11.) The Raven Boys (409)
10.) Lumberjanes vol 3 (~100)
9.) Nightwoods (259)
8.) Aloha Rodeo (224)
7.) Molly of the Mall (282)
6.) Mooncakes (243)
5.) Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama (290)
4.) Scaredy Squirrel
3.) Homo Sapiens (416)
2.) The Christmas Deal (235)
1.) Over the Hedge

Hello! My name is Laura, and this is the thirteenth year I've kept an LT thread tracking and reviewing my reading. I read pretty widely, but I'm most likely to read romance, memoir, mysteries, YA, sci-fi, fantasy, and literary fiction. I'm in my late-thirties, work as an editor, am married to a fellow reader, and carry on living in the south (it's been the majority of my adult life now) despite constantly missing winter and wanting to move back north (I grew up in north-east Pennsylvania). When I'm not reading, I like to do photography, write, crochet, swim, and watch TV (I'm currently watching (at various paces) Supernatural, Schitt's Creek, Black Sails, Upstart Crow, The Crown, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). I also keep a bookish blog at https://wonderatsix.blogspot.com/ (unofficially and unintentionally on hiatus in 2019, but roaring back in 2020). Please feel free to talk to me there or here on LT. I love a good bookish conversation!

My Favs and Least Favs for 2019:

Top 5 Reads of 2019:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Phoebe and Her Unicorn
Band Sinister
Pumpkinheads
A Fatal Grace

Worst Reads of 2019
The Book of Strange New Things
Sharp Objects
One Year Gone

Check out my goals for my reading life in 2020 here.

I had a lot of well-defined goals in 2019, and I fell down on aaaall of them. (Whevs. It was a very busy, in some ways very hard, and in others very wonderful non-reading year). So this year I'm in the mood for not goals. I'm setting no specific goals for kinds of reading to do this year (you can see the kinds of goals I set (and which did not work for me) in 2019 here). I'm not even setting a number goal for books read by authors of color and LGBTQIA authors this year. (Reading poc and LGBTQIA authors still is and always will be important to me, I just need a break from all the *tracking*.) I'll see how I do without those kinds of goals and reassess setting some again when 2021 rolls around.

Here are the things I *do* want to focus on in my reading life in 2020:

*Read from my shelves
*Limit buying books to read "some day" rather than *now*
*Read what I buy
*Choose reads carefully to try to have fewer reads that are just *fine*

End of Year (2019) Meme (thieved from @foggidawn), plus doggo picture at the end

Describe yourself: Becoming

Describe how you feel: All Creation Waits

Describe where you currently live: Facing West

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: In the Hunt

Your favorite time of day is: TV Goes to Hell

Your favorite form of transportation: Ship It

Your best friend is: Unicorn of Many Hats

You and your friends are: Band Sinister

What’s the weather like: Once Upon a Winter's Eve

You fear: Sharp Objects

What is the best advice you have to give: Lobster Is the Best Medicine

Thought for the day: There Are No Bears in This Bakery

How you would like to die: A Fatal Grace

Your soul’s present condition: This Moose Belongs to Me

What is life for you: Book Love

Hi Laura, good luck with your nongoals in 2020!

LOVE the shelves for tons of reasons...

>5 Familyhistorian: Thank you!

>6 scaifea:

>4 lycomayflower: Oh, Thursday, it will be OK, really.

>1 lycomayflower: Glad to see the coaster is "display only"----it will not survive actual use, as I can testify.

>9 laytonwoman3rd: Heh. That dog has perfected "I am sad." (I don't think she is ever actually sad, the little monster.)

Iiii could not bring myself to cover up the boys' lovely faces in any case....

>9 laytonwoman3rd: >10 lycomayflower: *panics slightly; moves tea mug off Sam and Dean...*

>11 scaifea: The moisture will damage the picture after a while--- sorry about that. A set of Beethoven coasters like that have gone bad on us...

Happy new thread, Laura! Reading without goals sounds like a lovely way to tackle the year. Love the answer for your soul's present condition. And Thursday looks like she could use an extra scratch between the ears. Mind passing one along?

>12 laytonwoman3rd: Hmm. I wonder if I could Mod Podge it to protect it...? Or I could just prop the boys up on one of my shelves, too...

>10 lycomayflower: I'll see your Sad GR and raise you mine:

Happy reading in 2020, Laura!

Best wishes for 2020!

Oh, also: Your soul’s present condition: This Moose Belongs to Me

This Moose?



Why not Scaredy Squirrel?

Haaahahahaha! Definitely that moose. Clearly I need to read Scaredy Squirrel in 2020 so I can use it next year!

>18 lycomayflower: Ha! I can genuinely recommend the Scaredy Squirrel series; Charlie used to love 'em and they are fair-to-middlin' hilarious.

Another resolution is to keep up in 2020 with all my friends on LT. Happy New Year!

I'm sure that your santa books will land in a day or two, Laura. If you get no joy by next week let me know and I'll raise hell with Book Depo.

Happy New Year Laura. Goal free is good.

Welcome back!

>4 lycomayflower: This one made me laugh. Short and to the point: Describe where you currently live: Facing West



Wishing you 12 months of success
52 weeks of laughter
366 days of fun (leap year!)
8,784 hours of joy
527,040 minutes of good luck
and 31,622,400 seconds of happiness!!

I lurk here more than I post, but thought I'd at least start the year off right.

Happy New Year, Laura!

Hi Laura. I am another occasional lurker but I thought I'd let you know that I'm dropping off my star, tell you that I love the GR pic(s), and wish you a very happy new year!

>13 MickyFine: Have passed on your scratches!

>14 scaifea: Aw, Mario! *does silly things with your ears, then scritches them*

>15 FAMeulstee:, >16 DianaNL:, >20 PaulCranswick:, >22 Caroline_McElwee:, >23 drneutron:, >24 Berly:, >25 lauralkeet:, >26 jnwelch: Thank you, all! So happy to see you here!

>19 scaifea: Excellent! *adds to the list*

>21 PaulCranswick: Excellent! I will keep an eye out!

Today is J.R.R. Tolkien's birthday!

*raises glass* The professor!

1.) Over the Hedge, Michael Fry and T Lewis ****

Several weeks ago LW3 and I somehow got to talking about the comic strip Over the Hedge, and I lamented that I had never been able to find any collections of it. And lo! four volumes of it appeared under our Christmas tree! This was just as funny as I remembered (though I'm not sure I'd ever read any of these earliest strips before). RJ (the raccoon) and Verne (the turtle) are hilarious. I may now walk around saying, "What obtains, squirt?" to people, all of whom will have no notion what I'm on about.

2.) The Christmas Deal, Keira Andrews ***1/2

Logan is recently widowed of a woman he was breaking up with anyway and struggling to get back on his feet after losing his job while trying to provide a stable home for his step-son. Seth's boyfriend left him suddenly, and he's recently learned that appearing to be part of an intact family would likely greatly increase his chances of receiving a promotion he's been working toward at his job. Logan agrees to pretend to be in a relationship with Seth for a few weeks--Seth gets to look like he has a family, Logan gets a place to stay. Logan has had casual sex with men before, so he's not uncomfortable with the idea of appearing to be in a relationship with a man, and as he's never fallen in love with men before, he figures there's no risk of getting attached. Guess what?

A few elements of this romance made me raise my eyebrows a bit (the boss who promotes family men and women over single folks, involving a thirteen-year-old kid in deception of other adults), but for the most part it stayed clear of anything that ruined the story. I was only just this side of invested through the two-thirds mark, and then I got really wrapped up in the characters through to the end--though it still feels a little bit like Logan and Seth fell in love because they had to to fulfill the trope rather than because we saw any specific reason for them to do so. *shrug* It was fine.

Happy New Year, Laura!

>32 ronincats: Thanks, roni! You too!

>29 lycomayflower:


>30 lycomayflower: Adding Over the Hedge to the list...

>34 scaifea:



Ooo, I hope you enjoy Over the Hedge! Some of it is a little dated, but I still snorked more than I eyebrowed.

>35 lycomayflower: Ooof, that slow smile. And is that eggnog? I miss that part of the holidays already.

So, I went on Amazon to add Over the Hedge to my list, and I found this:



Two things:

1) I'm pretty sure this isn't the one you're talking about, although if a raccoon and turtle are involved I'm not sure I want to know how.

B) I *really* don't think I want to know why this is also called Over the Hedge...

>29 lycomayflower: And today, the Professor returns the honor (by proxy)

>36 scaifea: I think that's from the Christmas episode, so it should be eggnog, yeah. ...which I have never had. Though this year I did get to hear the Ents try to decide when exactly they had had eggnog together, and where, and who of their acquaintance did or did not traditionally put rum in it. ❤

*snork* That is *not* the book I'm talking about.

>30 lycomayflower: "They're coming to eat our spleens!" I couldn't find that one, though...so have this instead

>39 laytonwoman3rd: Heheheeee

Don't mind me. Passing through, just seein' what's up here. Never seen "Over the Hedge".

>35 lycomayflower: Thank you for that nice image. ; )

>36 scaifea: Oh my!! Especially B).

>39 laytonwoman3rd: I get the attraction to this comic. LOL

>37 laytonwoman3rd:

>41 weird_O: *waves*

>35 lycomayflower: Always happy to share nice images of Dean!

>41 weird_O:, >42 Berly: New fans! Mayflower, we may have found a calling...we must spread the OTH love!

>45 laytonwoman3rd:

>46 lycomayflower: Be prepared for that to be the way I answer your calls from now on...

>47 laytonwoman3rd: *snork* I'm here for it.

>38 lycomayflower: Ooooh, eggnog. So, so good.

>42 Berly: Kim: Wait, why didn't *my* Dean image get a compliment?! *huffs*

>43 lycomayflower: *gets distracted...*

>36 scaifea: Goodness. (Reaction delayed, because the image wasn't showing for me before)

>50 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: I appreciate the validation, even if it is somewhat delayed.

>49 scaifea: Distracted, is it? You won't mind if I take that as a challenge?

>52 lycomayflower: Best Challenge Ever.

>53 scaifea: *hearteyes*

>54 lycomayflower:

>55 scaifea:

>57 scaifea: Haaaaaahahahahahaha

mmmmm, neck

>56 lycomayflower: mmmm, veins

>56 lycomayflower:, >61 scaifea: And that little flop of hair!

Is this a private party, or can anybody come in?

>63 laytonwoman3rd: Magnum is welcome anywhere, anytime.

>62 lycomayflower: Yes!

Your thread is very entertaining. I love the "Over the Hedge" comedy.

Have a great reading year!

Aww, I missed the gif party.

>68 MickyFine: Oh, we can start it back up again, noooo problem:

>68 MickyFine:, >69 scaifea: YES!

And please consider the gif party to be perpetual here!

>66 EBT1002: *snork* I am glad you think so! Feel free to join in the silliness! And glad to spread the Over the Hedge joy. Underrated, it is!

>67 thornton37814: Thanks!

>72 scaifea:

Happy reading in 2020!

So much eye candy here ;)

>76 figsfromthistle: Thank you! Hope you're enjoying the candy!

Well, if we're going for the candy vibe...

Mmmm, the LARPing.

I need this jacket to come back:

>80 scaifea:

>81 lycomayflower: *SNORK!!!*

*also, SOB!!*

>82 scaifea: I wasn't *looking* for a Benny gif, and when it popped up I got all sad.

>83 lycomayflower: *steadies self* Wooof.

I miss Benny tons. Honestly, sometimes just randomly in the day, "I miss Benny" will pop into my head. *sadness*

>84 scaifea: Right? He was such a great character, and it was nice that Dean had a boyfriend.

I love the glee and chaotic energy of this graveyard gif so. much.

>85 lycomayflower: He was, and it was.

And yes, I could stare at that particular gif for most of a day.

>86 scaifea: You know that when it's the two of them together my eye is usually drawn right to Dean/Jensen, but in this gif, it's Sam/Jared all the way.

>88 weird_O:

>87 lycomayflower: Agreed.

>88 weird_O: *SNORK!!*

>87 lycomayflower: It's the tux. Otherwise, who would give this guy a second look:



>88 weird_O: They work at it. They're still young, though.

>91 laytonwoman3rd: Um, excuse. I would. Prefer he put the cigarette away though.

Who you calling... oh, wait. That's good. Right?

>92 lycomayflower: It was a joke, son. The tux part. Which were you about to take offense at---the "weird", or the "young"?

>93 laytonwoman3rd: I *know* it was a joke, Mims.

The young part.

>91 laytonwoman3rd: *snork!*

>93 laytonwoman3rd: I'll take Weird and Young as compliments any day.

Talk about a man who can wear a tux...

Happy new(-ish) year and thread -- I'm just now getting around to visiting everyone. Loved your meme answers!

>95 scaifea: Yeah...I don't know about the ... ummmmmm...."fascinator", though.

>96 foggidawn: *waves* Thanks!

>97 laytonwoman3rd: You dare malign the sartorial choices and chaotic energy of Magic Misha?!

>97 laytonwoman3rd: >98 lycomayflower: Ha! At first I though you, Laura, had posted #97 and I was soooo confused...

Also, I second that How Dare You, Linda. Magic Misha can do no wrong and no argument will be brooked. *hrmph*

>99 scaifea: LOL. I would never! There's no accounting for taste of some *other* people.

>100 lycomayflower: So true. *tsk*

3.) Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Yuval Noah Harari ***1/2

This history of the human species by turns fascinated, depressed, and infuriated me. The early chapters about how homo sapiens developed things like agriculture were the most interesting to me (perhaps because they presented the most information I didn't already know), and the second half was a slog of depression and irritation. I disagreed with little of Harari's facts and larger conclusions, but the way he presented the material (often in a manner that seemed designed to shock) I feel elided a lot of nuance and sometimes privileged the rhetorical choice of shocking the reader over following the logic of his own arguments. Which makes me cross. So, a mixed read for me, and kind of a disappointing one, as I was looking forward to it. It *did* make for a lively and interesting conversation at book club, so that was nice.

4.) Scaredy Squirrel, Melanie Watt ***1/2

Scaredy squirrel has a nice nut tree in which are all the things he needs to live a nice enough life. So he does not leave his tree. Because bad things might be happening out in the unknown. Then one day something happens to upset his routine, and maaaaybe he finds out that things will probably be okay even if he leaves his tree. A fun picture book that would be a good way to start a conversation about anxiety and/or worry with kids. And listen, scaredy squirrel is my kind of squirrel. I may be adopting him as my patronus.

5.) Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama, Alison Bechdel ****

Bechdel's graphic memoir about her relationship with her mother is compelling, intense, complicated, and nuanced. I was completely immersed in her story and fascinated by her use of literature to explore this relationship. The graphic memoir has become one of my favorite genres, and this is an excellent example of the form.

>103 lycomayflower:

>103 lycomayflower: Isn't your patronus supposed to make you feel less scared, though?

>106 laytonwoman3rd:

>105 scaifea:

Loving all the gifs!

Good to know about Sapiens, Laura. I kind of half started that one and need to pick it up again.

>109 Familyhistorian: *snork* Glad you are enjoying them!

Sapiens is worth reading, even if I didn't so much *enjoy* reading it.

6.) Mooncakes, Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker ****

In this graphic novel, a teenaged witch and a werewolf she was friends with as a child meet again, rekindling their friendship and moving on to something more. Meanwhile, shenanigans are afoot with an unpleasant spirit. I loved the art, the friendship/relationship, the family/found family, and the queer and disability rep elements of this story. Though I found the plot a little less interesting, what was compelling for me held my attention plenty enough to make up for that.

>111 lycomayflower: Adding that one to the list.

Laura! Good gravy, young lady, you can hide like nobody's business, can't you. Well, here I am, all pleased'n'stuff that you liked The Christmas Deal okay.

Oh, and:

>113 richardderus:. *stares* I'm sorry, what? Were you saying something, Richard?

>114 lycomayflower: *glazed eyes* ummm I ummm maybe?

7.) Molly of the Mall, Heidi L. M. Jacobs ****

Molly is a college student trying to find her voice. We follow her adventures through school and her summer/holiday. This is a charming story that often made me grin in recognition at how Molly thinks about her classes, her assignments, and her terribly boring summer job. My favorite parts were her figuring out what she has to offer to the world of English literature and interacting with her professors.

>116 lycomayflower: Your favorite part is already mine, too, and I haven't even read the book. Shocking, yeah?

>117 scaifea: I am shocked. SHOCKED, I say.

8.) Aloha Rodeo, David Wolman and Julian Smith ***1/2

A short account of the history of cowboys in Hawaii and of three Hawaiian cowboys who competed in a famous rodeo in Wyoming in the early 20th century. I learned some things I didn't know, and the end, where we get some good descriptions of the action at the rodeo in question, was quite thrilling. This never quite pulled me in as much as I expected it to, but the subject matter was compelling enough for me to stick with it, especially as the book is fairly short. In the end, I am glad I read it.

9.) Nightwoods, Charles Frazier ***1/2

Frazier's novel of the intersection of several lives in mid-twentieth century Appalachia is gorgeously written on the sentence level. Every few pages or so I had to stop and reread a sentence to fully take in the lyricism or the just-so way he put something. The descriptions of place and of nature are also exquisitely well done. This is not a nice story, though, and we spend a good deal of time in the heads of and in the company of characters (one in particular) whose deep unpleasantness wore on me, and not in ways I found intriguing or compelling. I also felt held at a distance from some of the other characters--especially the twin children around whom much of the plot entwines--in a way that read a touch literary and unrealistic. This was, I think, very much a your-mileage-may-vary kind of read. There was so much here to like and admire, and readers a little less sensitive to awful characters may respond more favorably toward the whole novel than I did.

Well, all of the books that I want to read that you recommended my local library does not have. Geez louise. Thanks for the recommendations, Laura!

>121 lycomayflower: Welp, I'm torn then. I *love* good writing like that, but really super don't love those kinds of characters. Mrph.

This is my new favorite thread and, I must be honest, it has nothing to do with books. LOL Nice reviews though!!

>122 alcottacre: You're welcome! Sorry the library is not cooperating!

>123 scaifea: Yeah, I just don't know. The writing was *so* good. I suspect LW3 may be along to defend the book, as she liked it much better than I did, so perhaps that will help.

>124 Berly: *snork* I will accept favorite status, no matter the reason!

>125 lycomayflower: I assume Amber has been to my thread, and read my remarks about Nightwoods so I'm not going to twist her arm. Anyway, I KNOW I have a stronger affinity for the gritty, the noir, the near-gothic, than some, so I have to accept that my favorite reads are often not going to cut it with you guys.

>125 lycomayflower: >126 laytonwoman3rd: Yup, I have it in my mind that you (Linda) have a keener taste for dark and gritty than I generally do, and so I take your reviews and recommendations with that in mind, usually. It's hard to tell whether the good writing will outweigh the unpleasantness for me, book by book; sometimes I'm in the mood to give it a go and sometimes not. *shrug*

>127 scaifea: I'm guessing you're more inclined in Laura's direction than in mine, and having just had a "spirited" discussion with her on the phone about Nightwoods, I would hesitate to recommend it to you. NEVERTHELESS, it's a powerful story, without graphic violence (that's not to say no violence) and characters I found interesting, though not appealing. So.

>128 laytonwoman3rd: I'm better with actual graphic violence (unless it's aimed toward children or dogs) than I am with unlikable characters and dark, depressing storylines. So, indeed. Also, I'm pretty much always Laura-direction inclined. Laura is the Absolute Best.

>126 laytonwoman3rd: Well, *that* was disappointingly evenhanded. *puts away popcorn*

>129 scaifea: ❤

10.) Lumberjanes: A Terrible Plan, Noelle Stevenson et al ****

It's been a bit since I've checked in with the Lumberjanes. I loved this volume just as much as the first two. Just so fun and inclusive and bright and feminist and adventurey. Ripley (and Bubbles!) is my favorite, I think. Such great chaotic energy. ❤

>130 lycomayflower: ❤️

>131 lycomayflower: Woot!!

>130 lycomayflower: I resemble that remark. Did you want fisticuffs?

>133 laytonwoman3rd:

>133 laytonwoman3rd: I *wanted* popcorn.

>134 scaifea: Ooo, *gets popcorn out and raises eyebrow in LW3's direction*

11.) The Raven Boys, Maggie Stiefvater ****1/2

A reread in preparation for continuing on with the series. I enjoyed this well enough the first time, but this time around I was *engrossed*. Steifvater's characters, sentences, and use of mythology and the supernatural are all aces. I have already picked up book two, and I'm excited to see where the story is going next.

Woot!!!

>137 scaifea: Not sure I ever would have gotten back around to these without your nudge, and I am enjoying them *so* much.

>139 scaifea:

>136 lycomayflower: I heartily agree! I loved the series when I initially read it and I cannot wait to get the latest book from the library. I have it on hold at the moment. No idea when I might actually get my hands on it.

>141 alcottacre: Woot! So cool to see such love on LT for this series!

A blog post? A what? A blog post.

>143 lycomayflower: I tried posting again on the blog, and this time did get an "Ooopss...that's an error" message from Blogger. No clue what kind of error...

Hi Laura! Slowly I'm making my way around the threads and placing stars. Looking forward to seeing more Supernatural gifs! Laughed my way down the scroll bar.

Just catching up Laura after returning from the UK due to my Mum's failing health.
After haranguing Book Depository I am told that they have resent your books and good news could be soon received!

>145 Kassilem: Hi, Melissa! So glad to see you! (And thrilled our nonsense made you laugh!)

>146 PaulCranswick: I'm sorry you're going through a hard time, Paul. Thank you for taking time to futz about my books during it! I'll let you know as soon as they arrive.

New blog post! Wherein I talk about my favorite things of 2019. There's some book content, natch.

>148 lycomayflower:

>149 scaifea:

12.) Thornhill, Pam Smy ***1/2

Two connected stories are told in tandem, one through journal entries and the other through illustrations. Both stories have to do with an old house called Thornhill. The black and white illustrations are compelling, but I found the story a little predictable.

13.) Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Seanan McGuire ****1/2

The second in McGuire's Wayward Children series, this one follows Jack and Jill on their adventure before the events of the first book. I loved this story and was completely wrapped up in the language, the fairy-tale aspect of it, and the exploration of gender and self. I'm so glad I didn't allow my lukewarm reaction to the first book keep me from trying another.

14.) Bingo Love, Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, and Joy San ****

This graphic novel follows to women who fell in love as teenagers in the sixties but were separated by their families. Each went on to marry (men) and have families. After their children are grown, they meet again and decide to leave the relationships that never fulfilled them and pursue a life together. I liked the premise of this a bit better than the execution which felt a bit... rushed? Because we don't really get to see too much of these women's lives during the years they are separated, it feels a little like they are abandoning their families. I wish the whole thing could have been a little longer, because then I think I would have loved it.

15.) Tin Man, Sarah Winman ***1/2

I'm afraid I don't remember too much about this one, having let it set too long between finishing and reviewing. But that tells you something itself, I suppose. There's two men who are best friends and a bit more and the wife of one of them who is really something more to each of them. And it explores that relationship and the time (it starts in the fifties) and how it shaped them. *shruggy man* I know that as I was reading it I was wishing I was liking it better.

16.) Television, Religion, and Supernatural, Erika Engstrom and Joseph M. Valenzano III ***

I think this might have done a good job at what it was doing, I'm just not sure what that *was*. It for sure wasn't doing what I wanted it to. Engstrom and Valenzano's interests and areas of study seem to be along the lines of communication and media studies, and the book, I guess, (and I'm not being dismissive here, this is just really not my area) reflects that. To my mind, their study tells us more about the society the TV show Supernatural exists within and about how it intersects with religion within that society and for its audience. Which, okay, that's cool, it's just not what I wanted from it. I wanted criticism that would tell me more about the text of Supernatural, and that would explore how the text uses religion, and how the ways it uses religion informs the text. I also found the writing pretty dry, but that may have been at least partly a function of my frustration that I wasn't getting what I wanted from the book.

17.) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling ****1/2

My book club has decided to read the entire Harry Potter series over the course of this year, and we started at our most recent meeting. This was the umptydumpth time I’ve read this (I’m pretty sure I’m in double digits by now), but I still get completely wrapped up in the magic, especially in the opening hundred or so pages where Rowling is so deftly introducing us to the wizarding world. I’m looking forward to reading through the rest of the series and getting to talk with my club about each book.

>155 lycomayflower: Ah, so much fun!

18.) Fangasm, Katherine Larsen and Lynn S. Zubernis ****

Larsen and Zubernis are Supernatural fans who are also interested in studying fandom. They have written several books about SPN fandom together, and this book is largely a personal reflection on the process of writing that first academic book on the fandom (Fandom at the Crossroads. Here they recount how they become fans, what it was like to exist at conventions as both fans and academics who had behind the scenes access to the actors and other creative people behind the show, and what effect trying to be both at once had on their families, friendships, and connections with other fans. This was fascinating reading, and it contains a fair number of interviews with the people Larsen and Zubernis talked to. Recommended if you are interested in fans and fandom.

Today at the blog, existential dread. J/k, it's about TV.

>158 lycomayflower: Lovely blog post, Laura, and a topic which librarians and archivists are forever thinking about from an institutional perspective.

>158 lycomayflower: Welp. Now terrified. And must convince Tomm that an investment in 15 (eventually) seasons of SPN on blu-ray is a necessity (and that will be a hard sell).

>159 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>160 scaifea: Sorry! Research! Those blu rays are research! *Super* necessary.

19.) The Dream Thieves, Maggie Stiefvater ****1/2

This second installment in The Raven Cycle shifts its focus to Ronan, and carries on character development of everyone we met in the first book. I enjoyed this one even more than the first. Stiefvater's writing is so amazing and detail rich, and the characters are all achingly real and somehow mythical at the same time. Looking forward to going on to book three.

>161 lycomayflower: It's fine, I'll be fine, no it's totally fine.

>162 lycomayflower:

Wishing you a great Sunday and hoping for delivery news.

>164 PaulCranswick: Hiya, Paul, and thanks!

No delivery news as yet.

20.) The Paper Bag Princess, Robert N. Munsch and Michael Martchenko ****

After a dragon attack, a princess uses cleverness and cunning to rescue her finance, who then has the gall to criticize her appearance. So she leaves him. HA! Correct. I love it. I know I read this as a kid, but honestly I only remember being fascinated with the idea of wearing a paper bag as a dress and trying to figure out exactly how you would go about making such a thing. Not gonna lie, I'm still intrigued.

21.) Those Pesky Rabbits, Ciara Flood ****1/2

A bear lives alone in the woods, and he likes it that way. One day a family of rabbits builds their house nearby and they keep coming over and trying to make friends by asking the bear if he'd like to do things with them. The bear, shocker, does not want to make friends. Until one day the rabbits leave him a basket of little gifts, which the bear enjoys greatly and then thinks maybe he would like to have some friends. So he seeks out the rabbits and they all hang out together. The illustrations here are whimsical and wonderful. At first I was a little "let people who want to be left alone *be left alone*" about the story, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like there's a subtle message here about love languages and finding the way to approach potential new friends on their terms. I'm not sure the book is trying to sell that message rather than the more straight-forward "don't be a grump," but I still think it's there. Mostly recommended.

I want a feature that allows me to disable the GIFS after I've seen 'em, so your thread will load.

>166 lycomayflower: #20 LOL!

>167 laytonwoman3rd:

>167 laytonwoman3rd:

>169 laytonwoman3rd:

>170 scaifea:

>173 scaifea:

>174 lycomayflower: *snork!*

>166 lycomayflower: Robert Munsch is a Canadian institution so I've read Paperbag Princess multiple times and gifted it to my niece far before she was old enough for picture books. I had a co-worker dress as the Paperbag Princess a couple years ago for Halloween. It's a tricky costume and not easy to sit in.

I needed a laugh so I thought I'd stop by here to improve my mood. Yup--it worked!! : )

I loved The Paper Bag Princess! Still have it somewhere....

>177 Berly: Yay! I'm glad it worked!

>176 MickyFine: "not easy to sit in" *snork* I bet it's not!

Have a lovely, peaceful, safe and healthy weekend, Laura

I wanted my message this year to be fairly universal in a time we all should be pulling together, whatever our beliefs. Happy Celebration, Happy Sunday, Laura.

>180 PaulCranswick:, >181 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

Welp. Haven't been here much. Things conspire and also *gestures at everything*. I have a small pile of books here that I've read in the last six weeks or so, and I just keep... not reviewing them. At this point, the reviews will probably be quite short, but I hate to not include them at all. So.

22.) The Rabbit Listened, Cori Doerrfeld ****1/2

Lovely picture book about a boy whose building blocks project gets knocked over and all the animals who suggest how he ought to deal with that. And... the rabbit listened. Excellent, I would think, for talking to kiddos about having big feelings yourself, how you'd like others to help with that, and what you might do if you see someone else struggling with feelings.

23.) Fan Art, Sarah Tregay ****

A YA LGBTQ romance about coming out, falling in love with your best friend, fighting for what's right, art, and fandom. I enjoyed this a lot--the writing was great, and I thought the aspect of the story involving some of the characters' over-involvement in their friends' lives (including shipping them) was handled well.

24.) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling ****

A reread from book club. This is generally my least favorite of the HP books, and it remains so on this reread. Great discussion at the meeting though, which happened in early March and is likely to be our last for a good while.

>185 lycomayflower: You ought to try at least one video-conferencing book club meeting. See what everyone thinks of it. If I can do it...

>186 laytonwoman3rd: The idea was floated. No one wanted to. *shrug* I'll probably bring it up again if the library stays closed for more than another month or two.

...

25.) A Quiet Life in the Country, T E Kinsey ***1/2

A mystery set in the early 20th century where a lady and her maid solve the crime. More fun character stuff than mysterying, but a pleasant enough diversion. For the two-woman book club I do with my friend. As always, the discussion was the best part.

26.) Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Becky Albertalli ****

I loved this YA novel about coming out and friendship. Perfect balance of gentle and substantive.

Happy to see you posting, Laura. So happy that I tracked down a gif from a show I have not watched just for you. ;)

>190 MickyFine: Sam Winchester has never been hotter than when he uttered those words.

>191 scaifea: Seconded!

>187 lycomayflower: My bookclubs have really had a great time using Zoom, both of them! Throw it out one more time and see if everyone is bored enough to try it yet. : )

>190 MickyFine: Swoon!

>190 MickyFine: Mmmm, thank you, Micky. Your sacrifice is deeply appreciated.

>191 scaifea:, >192 Kassilem:, >193 Berly: I'm so glad to see Winchester love here.

>193 Berly: I'll have to float it again if things continue on this way. I wouldn't mind, but there was just no interest at all.

Blerg. I dunno what it is--spending so much time otherwise connected through screens?--but I'm just not over here much these days. Not that there's much to report anyway, as I seem fairly incapable of finishing any books. I have two left from April that need reviews. Stand by.

27.) A Curious Beginning, Deanna Raybourn ***1/2

The first in the Veronica Speedwell mystery series. These are set in Victorian England and follow Veronica, an unconventional young women lepidopterist who has no interest in living a "correct" or expected life. There's an intriguing man named Stoker with whom she joins forces. And a mystery. The novel was fun, but I was kind of lukewarm about it. I didn't care for Veronica or Stoker as much as I would have liked to, the pacing was kind of off, and I never felt like I got fully *in*to the story. It is not at all impossible that some of this reaction stemmed from Quarantimes Malaise, so YMMV. I read this along with a friend, and our discussion was, as always, aces.

28.) Fan Phenomena: Supernatural, edited by Lynn Zubernis and Katherine Larsen ****

A collection of essays about the Supernatural fandom and some of the ways fannishness has been expressed in that fandom in particular. Highlights were an interview with a fan who does fan vids; an interview with Serge Ladouceur, the cinematographer for SPN; and Richard Speight Jr.'s piece on going to conventions for the first time as an actor who was popular with the fans but had only been in a handful of episodes.

>195 lycomayflower: Re-reads may be the answer.

>198 laytonwoman3rd:

Mind you, not that there isn't a Currently Reading Pile.

>201 scaifea: Yeees? Maybe? 100 pages of each of them before I wander off to something else?

>203 scaifea:

>205 scaifea:

29.) Family Don't End with Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Lives, edited by Lynn S. Zubernis ****

CW: depression, anxiety, grief, illness, stroke, aphasia, suicide

Does what it says on the tin. Generally speaking, I found the essays by cast members more interesting than those by fans (natch?), though not more important. SPN does seem to have a striking ability to help fans of the show through hard stuff. I'd be really fascinated to know more about why--why *this* show? Does it really have a greater effect than other shows with large fan bases? Is it the content of the show? Or the remarkable willingness of the cast to engage with fans? Both? This book doesn't really answer those questions (it wasn't trying to), and I would dearly love to read something that did. Highlights here are the essays by Jared Padalecki, Rob Benedict, and Kim Rhodes. The most effecting fan essay for me was "Choosing Life" by Burner Cade. The Padalecki piece and the wealth of cast (and fan) photos in both color and black and white are worth the book price alone, and there's enough throughout the rest that was worthwhile to make reading this cover to cover a good choice.

I am celebrating the end of Ramadan, Laura, a time of thanks and forgiveness and I want to say my thanks to all my LT friends for helping keep me somewhat sane these last few years.

>208 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul.

30.) The Uncommon Reader, Alan Bennett, read by the author ****1/2

A reread/listen. Short, sharp, funny--a perfect little comfort listen.

31.) Not a Day Goes By, E. Lynn Harris ***1/2

Set (and written) in the late nineties, Not a Day Goes By follows Basil and Yancey as they navigate personal secrets and their love for one another. This is sometimes billed as a romance novel, and it's really not. It's a love story, but, spoiler alert? absent an HEA (this story does not have a happy ending), it isn't a romance. That's just a heads up, really, not any kind of criticism. I found the story and the writing fairly compelling despite (?) seriously disliking both of the main characters (they are so rotten to each other, and whatever their relationship is based on, it isn't trust). Basil, despite (because of?) his own bisexuality, treats gay men abysmally several times throughout the book, and a number of characters say things about bisexuality that grind my gears like whoa. In the end, all of this is in service of an exploration of the two main characters, their complicated pasts, and their resulting messy lives. For me, ultimately, it was an awful lot of cringey stuff to sit with for not enough pay off, but I'm also glad I had the experience of reading the book.

>211 lycomayflower: Interesting. So an HEA is required for it to be considered a Romance?

>212 scaifea: To be part of the romance genre, yeah. It's pretty much the only requirement, along with the need for a main plot to be a love story of some kind.

>211 lycomayflower: Well, I'm kinda glad you read it too. I think you might have liked If This World Were Mine a bit better...

>213 lycomayflower: Huh. Okay. Cool.

Ladies and gents, all, new thread time.