What Cats Do Book Tag

I saw this post over on Icebreaker694’s blog and thought I’d give it a try since I looooove cats and the questions on this were great!  Thanks to Kate at meltingpotsandothercalamities for creating this tag! If you do this tag, be sure to tag her in this as those are the rules!

PURR- What is the book that makes you happiest or relaxed?

Squire (third book in the Protector of the Small series) by Tamora Pierce and Harry Potter #1 and #3.

SLEEP- What is a book that put you to sleep or was just boring?

I read a handful of these recently, they include: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, A Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane, Saga by Conor Kostick and The Magicians by Lev Grossman.  There are more, but I’m going to stop there.

TWITCH WHILE DREAMING- A book you dreamt about? 

Dream about owning: all the new, unreleased books by Tamora Pierce

Dream about visiting: Hogwarts or Tortall

Actually dream about: none as far as I know, though a case could be made for Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, because all that takes is crossing a door….

SEEMS TO PLAY NICE…UNTIL THE CLAWS ARE OUT- Which book had the biggest plot twist? 

The one the threw me the most that I was not expecting happened in Trickster’s Queen by Tamora Pierce.  Also Lupin being a warewolf.

CUDDLES- Which book character would you give a hug to?

Basically all the animal characters ever.  Also the Darkings.

CATNIP- What’s a book that made you have warm and fuzzy feels?

There are many.  Most of them written by Tamora Pierce.  Do I sound like a broken record yet?  Also Harry Potter #1 and #3.

CAT BREEDS- What are your favourite books?

You can take a look at my mostly complete favourites shelf here.

GETTING THE CAT- How did you find your favourite books?

A Librarian introduced my to Tamora Pierce when I was about 8 years old.  Then I was introduced to my next favourite author when I asked for a recommendation for books similar to hers on an online forum when I was 18.  Other childhood favourites were blurbed by TP and then Booktube has given me a few good recommendations recently.  Funny how that works out since I’m terrible for actually reading and liking hyped and recommended books to the point where I almost didn’t read the Tamora Pierce book from the librarian, the once the was basically my childhood. 

THE VET’S OFFICE- Your least favourite book

I had some winners last year for least favourite books.  Most of these were books I read for school like Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger and Fifth Business by Roberson Davies.  There were some others that were boring but I didn’t hate.  One that I HATED was Spy Glass by Maria V Snyder. 

BEING IN PLACES THEY SHOULDN’T- Least favourite clichÉ

There are a lot but bland female main characters with the depth of paper is one. 

THE GOOD OLD CARDBOARD BOX- Most underrated book series

In this age of discussion about male privilege and badass female leads, I never understood why Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small series isn’t more popular.

You are a reader!

The average person in the US (and likely Canada and many other countries of the world) reads less then 5 books a year.  If, like me, you think that is a very small number, congrats you are likely a reader!

Now, the word reader means a person who reads.  Despite what anyone might tell you, it does not specify what type of things you need to read to be a reader.  It can be books, poetry, short stories, novellas, zines and magazines, fanfiction, instruction manuals, ‘trashy’ internet erotica, role-playing posts…..the list is a long one.  The list I provided is also only things that a ‘reader’ might read, but reading is something essentially everyone does on a semi-daily basis.  Reading a menu or a price tag would make you a reader by the above definition.  

However, in colloquial terms ‘a reader’ tends to be someone who reads ‘a lot’ (and also the types of things I mentioned above and not the ‘everyday’ things), but as the average person reads fewer then 5 books in a year, anything more then that can be classified as ‘a lot’.  That means 10 books a year can make you a reader.  So that ‘only one book this month’ you read?  Congrats, you are still a reader!  ‘I only read a few magazines or fanfic’.  Still a reader!  

Don’t let the words of others define you or bring you down.  You may not read as much as you want or as much as the gatekeepers to reading might say you need to, but if you think you are a reader, CONGRATS!! You! Are! A! Reader!

Top Five Wednesday: Favourite Underrated Books

Another Top 5 Wednesday post!  Pretty self explanatory, which books you love that don’t get talked about as much.  Four of these books are almost never talked about.  The last is talked about sometimes but not much anymore.  Find T5W over on Goodreads.

1. Anything Tamora Pierce – friendship, great themes, great writing, diversity, badass ladies, sassy animals etc, etc

2. The Inda Series by Sherwood Smith – all of the above and more!

3. Green Rider by Kristen Britain – friendship, great writing, badass ladies, sassy animals and  more!

4. The Wake Triolgy by  Lisa McMann – such a unique concept!

5. Poison Study by Maria V Snyder – badass ladies, great friendship, diversity, like Throne of glass but better!

Honourable Mentions: The Long Way to a Small by Becky Chambers, So you Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane

My ‘read’ pile is deceiving

The list of books I compile on Goodreads and here is not actually accurate to what I read in a year. I mean, it is but also it isn’t.  It has to do with how we ‘read’ books.  Like how some people consider audiobooks as not really reading books.  But it’s a bit more confusing and complicated then that.

Let me explain.

I’m part of a community that centers around one person and his perpetually un-preparedness.  Mark Oshiro, the creator and mastermind of Mark Reads (and Mark Watches, find him here!) reads books he knows nothing about besides that they were recommended to him and posts him reading it online chapter by chapter.  Additionally, he reviews every chapter with his thoughts, feelings and personal anecdotes, etc for people to comment on, laugh and cry with him or at him.  He is always very unprepared, even when he is the most prepared, and it’s great fun to watch and join in.  Plus you get to read great books and discuss them with great people.  Part of the reason I have been making my way through Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series this year despite fairly average ratings for many of them was to go through them with Mark and his community.  I have been reading the books on my own and then re-reading the books with Mark.  

But I don’t keep track of this anywhere.  

Why?

Well, it’s hard to call it reading, even though it is basically reading.  It’s an audiobook, more or less after all, just in a video format where you get to see someone reacting to what is happening.  You get 2-3 chapters a week, making it take a month or several to finish a book.  Again, nothing wrong with that as many people take months to read a book.  It could be because it’s reading with a community, but you can argue it’s a massive online book club with a very prominent figurehead.  Because that’s what it is, abet in a different format and functionality then most are used to seeing with book clubs.

I think the real major reason I don’t count those books as being ones I read and track the year is because I mostly follow Mark as he reads books I have already read, know well and love.  But this ‘excuse’ doesn’t hold much water because I re-read Harry Potter this year and counted it.

Essentially, this stream of conscientiousness post is basically saying a few things:

1. Check you Mark because he is AWESOME, funny, insightful (he and he’s community have opened my eyes up to many issues, tropes, themes in writing; for example why you shouldn’t describe people of colour using food or animal analogies) and reads great books.

2. I really should start tracking these books because it is still reading, if in an unusual way.

3. I don’t feel so bad about my 2016 reading challenge and the possibility I ‘cheated’ by reading tiny books, because I read a handful of books this year with Mark on top of what I tracked. 

4. There are many different ways to ‘read’ books and all of them are valid!

Some more background on Mark: Currently he is reading great books, but he started out with Twilight many, many years ago.  Then someone convinced him to read Harry Potter, which he did grudgingly thinking it was going to be as bad as Twilight.  After that he started it up as a regular thing reading book that have been vetted as good, adding the video component to it later on.

For the record he is currently reading Young Wizards by Diane Duane and Discworld by Terry Pratchett.

In a stunning turn of events….

I have actually managed to keep this blog running for one full year!  Yay me!  

Tell me in comments how long yours has been running so I can envy you and cheer you on!

2016 Book awards

It’s (about to be?) award season!  So I thought I would award some of the books I read this year and some of the characters that have read more about this year.  These are not books released in 2016, they are books I have read in 2016.  Also, priority has been given to books that are new to me this year.  

Here we go!

Best Actor aka Best Male Protagonist

Leif (Maria V Synder)

Best Actress aka Best Female Protagonist

Hermione Granger (JK Rowling)

Best Cinematography aka Best Plot Twist

One of the ones in Night Study by Maria V Synder, obviously I can’t tell because spoilers.  Sure I saw it coming about 2 chapters early, but I was sooooo excited for it to happen and for the consequences of it happening. 

Best Costume Design aka Best Book cover

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Best Supporting Actress and Actor aka Best M/F side character

Janco (Maria V Synder)

Professor McGonagall (JK Rowling)

Best Original screen play aka most unique world/setting

The World(s) of The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers.  This is a very expansive and complex world and I love it. 

Best Adapted screen ply aka best book-to-movie adaption

So, I haven’t actually seen a movie adaptation this year (that I know of??) but I suspect after reading Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by JK Rowling that the movie was much better (if imperfect) then the novella.

Best animated feature aka a book you want to see animated

HARRY POTTER.  Make it allllll the creepy/creative/quarky/Harry Potter-esque animation!

Best director aka best new writer discovered

Becky Chambers

Best short film aka best short story/novella

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Best visual effects aka best action

Epic by Conor Kostick.  Not necessarily most action-packed book, but good ‘visual effects’ in the gaming world described.  

Best documentary aka best historical fiction/non-fiction

N/A (unless you count scientific literature, which I guess you could, but I’m not going to name off that sort of thing here)

Best picture aka best book

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Top Five Wednesday: Polarizing Reads

These are supposed to be book you love that people either love or hate, but several books on this list are books that I hated, but I could see how others love.

Top 5 Wednesday is host over on Goodreads by Sam at Thoughts on Tomes.

1. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray – this is a satirical book that just did not work for me but I can see why people would like it.

2. Spy Glass by Maria V Synder – the main character is in a relationship which started off abusive and squicks me out sooooo much and is hand waved away.  Also there are certain scene in this novel that I’m not a fan of and the over abundance of kidnapping in this book annoys me.  However, some people can over look all these flaws and love it?

3. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – not as polarizing as others, but most people that dislike this book have and issue with the epistolary nature of how it’s written, which is not for everyone.  I, personally, loved this book.

4. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire – another one I liked but not everyone does and I can see why.  Part is the graphic nature of the plot and frank talk about sex and gender identity.  

5. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee – It’s compared to gossip girl and is a guilty-pleasure type read, so it’s definitely not for everyone, but I enjoyed it. 

Honourable mention: The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers – its not action paced which many people want in SciFi, also has frank talk of sex and sexuality that not everyone is is comfortable with. 

 

The year of the re-read

I re-read a lot of books in 2016.  Some I had read only last year, others closer to 8 or 10 years ago.  To put a number on that, about 15 books of 51 were re-reads (I say about as I’m not too sure where I stopped in the the Young Wizard books the first time).  

But I’m not upset by this.

Firstly, I got to revisit old favourites and discover they are still really good books.  Others I re-read and they didn’t hold as much water, but that was part of why I wanted to reread them. 

Re-reading books is something I used to do quite often.  As a child it was because I didn’t have exposure to books as much as I do now.  I didn’t know what was coming out or can out recently so I couldn’t ask for them from the library.  Also my home town library is tiiiiiny (same with my school one) so it was hard to find new things to read.  I also have a lot of old favourites. 

As a young adult I typically re-read because I really want to read something by the time exams hit in university, after a semester of refraining from all contact with books.  At this point I need a distraction and my self control is at an all-time low so the best way to combat the problem and get back to studying is to read an old favourite.  This way I know what is going to happen and don’t feel the pressure to stay up all night because I really need to know what happens next!! as a do with many books.  I can stop in the middle of the action to continue to study (in theory, at least!).  I can read through the book in a hurry since I already know all the little details.  Typically my go-to reads for exam periods is Tamora Pierce (Protector of the Small most often).

Last year I didn’t re-read anything.  It was all new books after finishing off my schooling for good.  It was a fun year!

This year there has been no Tamora Pierce as I revisited Harry Potter, some Maria V Snyder and Diane Duane.  I suspect I’ll get back to Tamore Pierce next year as there might be (finally) a new one of hers out.  

I have no regrets about re-reading so much!  Sure, I found new favourite when I did read new books,  but while reading new books is fun but there is a risk of reading a bad book.  Many of the books I read this year were merely ‘meh’ or average books.  

So if anyone gives you flack for re-reading ‘too much’ send them to me!  I will defend re-reads to my dying breath!  Please don’t ever feel like you are not a ‘good’ reader because you re-read old books instead of new to you books. 

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

So I didn’t like this book.  I gave it 1 star.  It was satire and I tend to take books more on face value, so while I get what it was trying to do, it missed the mark with me.  In the middle of reading, I thought I would compile a list of everything I thought while I was reading as a sort-of ‘livestreaming’ of my experience.  This is similar to my ‘How do you review’ posts.  Spoilers ahead, obviously.  

Book has a trigger warning for self harm.

Just because I didn’t like this book, doesn’t mean that you won’t!  I could still recognize that is was humorous, and taking the piss at other novels and tropes, it just didn’t work for me.  However, there were many good lines and messages even still in this novel.

-another book with annoying footnotes
-realistic yet not?
-puns: Roland Me’sognie
-only people that survived the crash were the teens? suuuuure
-hoping for an utter trash book that I also happened to like, if only a little, this is too satirical and far-fetched/extreme for my tastes
-slut shaming
-everyone is an airhead but the MC…
-the first time you played dress up was when you were 8? I’m pretty sure 90% of kids do this at least once by the time they are 4. 
-author knows when to throw in a curve-ball because the reader audience is bored and about to give up
-crawling out of a snake is totally realistic, not
-at point number two of wanting to stop reading this trash author sprinkles a bit of diversity plot pot to spruce up the story. Sadly, it worked?
-I’m now hate-reading this just for a bullet point list of things I hate about this book. The things I do for a blog post
-I’m switching to dual reading and audiobooking to get through this faster and less painfully, also because people said it was better on audiobook? they lied btw
-lets give every girl a secret, just cuz
-Know what this book needs? extended scenes of four teens on acid trips. Because of course it does. Don’t worry, there are endless pages of their hallucinations to keep you ‘entertained’
-and back to super secret corporation stuff ^TM to wake you up after your eye glossed over with that other BS
-full on live tweeting now
-author: *inserts random trans character for shock and awe now*
-“even when we make the pee-pee”
-they all manage to somehow know enough survival stuff to stay alive for weeks?
-let’s start dancing right after you bitched about only wanting to hunt atm, because that makes complete sense
-coconuts are reallllly hard to open without proper tools
-random machete pops up
-there are some good messages in this book, but they are shoved down your throat
-the talk about always saying sorry is an important one, however, and less awkward then the other messages
-the girl talk was actually quite nice
-the words used to describe the scenery reflect the current tone of the chapter, which is kinda neat
-and the run of nice things to say about this books was ruined with an extended dream sequence about sexy pirates
-or maybe it wasn’t a dream?  I’m confused now but not interested enough to actually go back and figure it out, also that might have actually been the point (the being confused)
-damn I thought I was half done, but I math’ed wrong and I’m less than that.  This book is dragging and needs to hurry up!
-I can see what this book is trying to do but the way it’s doing it is missing its mark with me
-quicksand doesn’t work that way
-wait, what happened to the girl with the food tray embedded in her head?  Haven’t heard about her in a while…maybe she died of sepsis like any normal person in real life would have by now
-I just noticed, this post draft url is 6969 and it’s amusing me
-…..a black woman liking country music? that’s……highly unlikely since it’s stereotypically bland white people music
-the name Fabio Testosterone still irritates me and amuses me
-you can’t kick a coconut open
-“Aren’t you supposed to be saving yourself?”[in reference to sex and marriage]
“Yeah, and then I thought, for what? You save leftovers. My sex is a leftover, and it’s not a Christmas present” <excellent line
-computers on a pirate ship that is modelled off of an 18th century ship that had sails and cannons??
-lets throw teen boy pirates in this because #drama
-still not really a plot to this whole book and since I’m not interested in any of the characters this is a painful read
-book just used the ‘not like others girls’ line and broke me to pieces, if I could remove a star from an already 1 star book I would do it now.
-author trying to make her characters have depth but I’m over this book at this point and I just don’t care much
-random sex scene, but I guess it has a good message about consent, pregnancy and pressure
-girl who never falls in love/never wants to fall in love falls in love in a day, how creative
-this book is dragging
-I can’t take a girl with the name Tiara seriously
-and sexy times was just a plot device to show how shitty boys are and other gross things
-I’m listening to this on two times normal speed and it’s still taking forever
-piranhas don’t eat people
-still want to know about the food tray girl
-also we are 80% in and at least 2 of the girls never got names
-wait, where did Arkansas come from??
-oh now they have names!  Also it was 4 unnamed people, just identified by states
-lets give them the same name to excuse the fact that we haven’t given them a name up until now!
-“you try to kill us, we defend ourselves and we get called bitches?” <also good line
-there are no pages breaks in this book and it’s really fucking annoying having to expend so much energy to keep up with where we are and who we are with, which this book switched constantly
-in the middle of not dying by being shot at but lets take about our breakup one more time as we stand in the middle of the woods with men shooting at us
-terrible copy-edit mistake there, MC was in two places at once!
-that ending was cute
-I SURVIVED!!!

PS: spelling is likely weird in this post as spellchecker was being a dick.  

My year in books (2016)

Just a little analysis of my year in books. 

Book that took the longest to read: Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane

Shortest book: Harry Potter the Prequel by JK Rowling 

Longest book: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

Book that took the shortest to read:  One of the Selection books by Kiera Cass 

Average rating: 3.64 (Goodreads says 3.6 as well but they don’t do half stars)

Average length: 358

Lowest rating and rated: 1.5 stars Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Book you can’t believe you read (whatever the reason): Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane

Book you can’t remember you read: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer 

Book you wish you hadn’t read: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer 

Book you read even though you knew you wouldn’t like it: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Book you managed to sell to someone else and get them to buy: Inda by Sherwood Smith

Least read book (according to Goodreads): Finding our Balance by Lauren Hopkins

Shortest time between two books: minutes (Selection Series by Kiera Cass, the Study Series and the Glass Series by Maria V Synder)

Longest time between two books (picking up a new one): Uncertain, but on the order of weeks to months

Most surprising book (good or bad): The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Number of re-read books: 16?

Number of pages read: 18282

Average pages per day: 50

This isn’t really a tag, but you can do it too if you feel like it and comment to let me know you did so that I can read it too!