updates

Reading slump, looking for Alaska & music: Bi-Weekly Update

aquapages // eline5 Comments

These last two weeks have gone both too quickly and too slowly. Which means I was feeling really bad, so I have not done much, but also stressing over how little is being done. So I’m kind of in a reading slump, but one caused by having too much else to do. Thankfully I’d scheduled some posts –

New book posts:

Other books I’ve been reading:

  • The truth about keeping secrets by Savannah Brown (currently reading, unfortunately not loving it yet)

Added to TBR:

  • Utopia for realists by Bregman Rutger – added after he was on Trevor Noah’s The daily show and I really wanted to read more of some out-there new ideas
  • Salt, fat, acid, heat by Samin Nosrat was one of Rhiannon McGavin’s fav books of 2018 and I really love cookbooks done in a different way, so hopefully I’ll pick this up when I have time to try some recipes
  • The raven’s tale by Cat Winter
  • The cold in her bones by Peternelle van Arsdale
  • A lot of polar fantasy books, because I didn’t know that was a thing before this week

Posts I recommend by other blogs:

Art Journal by Ink Stained Forest is such lovely watercolor paintings! The hobbit door is especially mind-blowing. I recently got the Winsor & Newton pocket box watercolors she has, dreaming about being able to paint while travelling, but I haven’t gotten a chance yet. This is really inspiring and lovely

10 Book retellings by Jenacidebybibliophile. A great list of book retellings which I’d never heard of before, including some new releases. Who doesn’t need a Medusa retelling.

Act your age and read YA by Siobhan Novelties and Why can’t female villains get better backstories? are both great discussion posts

Books with the best writing by Ally Writes Things. I really need to read more of the books on this list, because I agree with several of these authors and love the attention to language they all have

The Dysasters by P. C. and Kristin Cast by Books, bones & buffy is a great review about a book I probably won’t read, but I was really interested to see what those authors were up to nowadays

An introduction to the Inky Saga by Inky Saga, after her rebranding from Betwined Reads!

Reading the lowest rated books on my TBR by Laniakea Books. It’s such a great way to shorten the TBR and I want to try it out soon.

Three things on my mind:

Let’s make these three things youtube videos again, because the only thing on my mind right now is having to learn all of my physics syllabus in five days, before a five hour test that decides whether I get in at uni. Ahhh.

I like Troye, but wasn’t a big fan of “I’m so tired”. Before THIS VERSION, it’s perfect.

John Green’s “Looking for Alaska” is being made into a movie, and here’s the first look at the Miles and Alaska, during a visit to the campus where John wrote the book.

My ABSOLUTELY FAV DANCER Koharu Sugawara was back at Urban Dance Camp and they released this dance video, she and Yuki Shibuya always seem to have so much fun. Watching Koharu’s dances always brings a smile to my face.

Vacation: great friends & hospitalization | Bi-Weekly Update

aquapages // eline2 Comments

New book posts:

Other books I’ve been reading:

  • The collected poems of Emily Dickinson (currently reading)
  • Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

Posts I recommend by other blogs:

Added to TBR:

  • My lady Jane by Cynthia Hand
  • The serpent king by Jeff Zenter
  • The way of shadows by Brent Weeks (because the Legendarium podcast is talking about it, and it looked interesting)
  • Dutch girl: Audrey Hepburn and WW2 by Robert Matzen

Three things on my mind:

  • I had an absolutely great time at a cabin with a couple friends, spending three days there during winter vacation. We relaxed, made food and went on short walks during the day, partied at night until 5am and still felt great waking up before everyone else on the mornings, to my surprise. Also played cards against humanity for the first time, a lot of it, and it was really fun and you get to learn the others humor.
  • I hate hospitals irrationally much, but I’m also unbelievably thankful to them. Unlucky bad shit happened again like it has a tendency to when I’m finally on top of life again! (This is starting to be the rule of my life, but we’re just going with it at this point). I had a bad reaction to a vaccine, which doctor found out is probably more likely to happen because of immune-surpressing medicines I’m on (autoimmune disorder). I really hate throwing up.
  • This travel video with a roadtrip through Mexico was so well shot and Jacob is really the only traveller I watch now. Like he’s got a really unusual lifestyle and a good balance between showing the spectacular places and negative sides with crises happening while travelling, but with a good, problem-solving, out-going attitude towards them. Just how unusual he lives is shown through his very minimal packing guide, too minimal for my taste as there’s no damn wool. How are you surviving in the cold, Jacob? Get a first aid kit in there! But he really seems so friendly, is extremely productive and what I would consider a true entrepreneur.

I’ve read a lot and posted little | Bi-Weekly Update

aquapages // eline2 Comments

New book posts:

Other books I’ve been reading:

I’ve got a lot of new reviews coming out as there were none the last two weeks, oops.

  • I finally finished “Six easy pieces” by Richard Feynman
  • A brilliant short story “The ones who walk away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, one of the authors that I know I would love the writing of if I just read more from them. A mini review will be out shortly!
  • In addition there’s a review of “Women in science” by Rachel Ignotofsky coming out, where the inspiration of quote of the week came from.
  • Legion: skin deep which is the second book in the trilogy by Brandon Sanderson, but won’t be reviewed before I read all three.
  • The wicked king by Holly Black
  • Branches by Rhiannon McGavin (poetry)

Added to TBR:

  • I am not a serial killer by Dan Wells
  • The calculating stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
  • The godfather by Mario Puzo
  • The blade itself by Joe Abercrombie (fantasy)
  • All systems red by Martha Wells (fantasy)
  • The gutter prayer by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan (fantasy)
  • So you want to be a wizard by Diane Duane (fantasy)
  • Black sun rising by C. S. Friedman (fantasy)
  • Influence: the psychology of persuasion by Robert Cialdini

Recent book buys:

  • The wicked king by Holly Black
  • Preorder of The truth about keeping secrets by Savannah Brown
  • The body in pain by Elaine Scarry

Three things on my mind:

  • I’m just going to post three very varied youtube videos here because I’ve been sick a week and then studying too much the other week to make up for it. My brain feels empty and chaotic at once. Fun. I did preorder “The truth about keeping secrets” by Savannah Brown just before watching Ariel Bisset’s video on what preorders actually mean.

20th Birthday, Mary Oliver and New Posts: Bi-Weekly Update

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New book posts:

Other books I’ve been reading:

  • The waste land and other poems by T. S. Eliot
  • Six easy pieces by Richard Feynman (currently)
  • At blackwater pond by Mary Oliver audiobook (currently)

Added to my TBR:

  • Artificial generation by A. H. Haga
  • City of thieves by David Benioff
  • Solitaire by Alice Oseman – great author
  • The past and other things that should stay buried by Shaun David Hutchinson – great author
  • We are displaced by Malala Yousafzai – so anticipating reading this
  • Wilder girls by Rory Power
  • soft magic by Upile Chisala
  • Wicked saints by Emily A. Duncan
  • Skin deep (Legion #2) by Brandon Sanderson – great author and first book
  • All the lonely people by David Owen – recommended by one of my fav authors Alice Oseman
  • Army of none by Paul Scharre – recommended by Bill Gates

Recent book buys:

Trying to save money ! But I did buy City of thieves by David Benioff, because the kindle version was on sale.

Three things on my mind:

  • RIP Mary Oliver. I cried a few tears when I realized she had passed, after seeing so many of her poems resurfacing on social media at once. She became 83 years old and really was my favourite poet, so talented and a goal in life, living in a small sea-town in Massachusetts with her wife Molly until she died fourteen years ago. I tried to describe her poetry to a few friends a couple days before her death as: criticizing humans through wonderful pictures of nature. I’ve always admired her perspective, but also how she put her thoughts out in the world.
  • I’ve been doing so much better the past three weeks health and mood-wise. I’m amazed at how good I’ve been feeling and the change it makes, like problems is still thrown at me daily, but I have the energy to deal with it. Then I started losing my voice and coughing today, so we’ll see how long that lasts. (I’m going to be mad if it doesn’t last longer, honestly, and I think that’s quite okay of a feeling this time).
  • With this input of energy (sidenote: I’m studying electric currents for physics test in a couple days and I can’t stop sliding in terminology in the most casual conversations, then catching myself doing it and groan. This is a light example, honestly). With this input of energy I’m also doing a lot more things. Lots of studying and actually being close to on top of things. Seeing friends! Enjoying myself! Celebrating my birthday for the first time in three years! I’m pretty proud and greatful for that, seeing as I’ve been too ill to want to the past years. It was my 20th and I chose to do things my introverted ass wouldn’t normally, like drinking the whole day and evening. I have a weirdly high tolerance for someone who doesn’t drink, but inevitably blacked out for the first time. Three hours gone. I mean – wouldn’t necessarily recommend, but it was great with good friends around me and lots of dancing.

Let’s Start the New Year with an Update

aquapages // eline3 Comments

These are usually bi-weekly, but the last one was end october.

Here’s my TBR of physical books that I probably should get through in 2019, so I’ve halfways committed to it:

New book posts:

Other books I’ve been reading:

  • La belle sauvage by Philip Pullman, 4/5 stars
  • Six easy pieces by Richard Feynman (currently)
  • At blackwater pond by Mary Oliver (currently)
  • The grand design by Stephen Hawking (currently)

DNF:

What if it’s us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli – I like fluffy, but this felt like a romance just describing everyday things. I wanted to like it so much, but it wasn’t for me and after the karaoke bar I was out

Added to my TBR:

  • The five stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun David Hutchinson (queer ya)
  • The apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by
    Shaun David Hutchinson (queer ya)
  • Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (sci-fi)
  • Ender’s game by Orson Scott Card (sci-fi)
  • Emergency contact by Mary Choi (ya)
  • Circe by Madeline Miller (fantasy)
  • How the immune system works by Lauren M Sompayrac (science)
  • Immuno-biology by Charles Janeway (science)
  • By grand central station I sat down and wept by Elizabeth Smart (poetry)
  • The falconer by Elizabeth May (ya fantasy)
  • The armored saint by Myke Cole (fantasy)
  • No matter by Jana Prikryl (poetry)
  • The year of femme by Cassie Donish (poetry)

Recent book buys:

  • Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
  • These shallow graves by Jennifer Donnelly
  • The grand design by Stephen Hawkings
  • Netgalley: Monument by Natasha Trethewey
  • Netgalley: Lord of the butterflies by Andrea Gibson

Three things on my mind:

  • 2019 is the year of Change for me, where change will come whether I like it or not and I don’t yet know if it’s going to be net-positive or net-negative. Last year had it extreme bad times and also very-good times. So I’ve decided to embrace it, to throw myself into the ocean of change and see what happens.
  • Coffee is my new love. I got a moka pot and it’s been my savior for the end of december and the beginning of january so far.
  • Nearly every toilet visit ended with blood for the last week, and I’m not on my period. TMI I know, but that’s life with crohn’s. I need that change – whatever it is – to come soon, I think. I feel like in a good space right now, but also like I’m watching a house burn around me and not feeling the heat of the flames yet. In other words – hell is surely coming. I’ll read in the meantime. Cheers.

Bi-Weekly Update #5

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It’s been three weeks, with a lot of studying (those 12pm deadlines, several days in a row you know), too much stress, all-out partying for once and in-depth reading over quantity. Also autumn, which I love dearly, lasted for two days in between massive rain and the frost laying upon us like a blanket of death. FUn. Also I made my first embroidery:

New book posts:

Review: “An absolutely remarkable thing” by Hank Green

Spoiler-review: “An absolutely remarkable thing” by Hank Green  (when you have so many thoughts, you make two reviews, basically just listing favourite moments in this one)

Short review: aliens & feminism

The sunshine blogger award

Top Ten Tuesday: Longest books I’ve read

Top Ten Tuesday: Libraries & bookstores I’d love to visit

Quote of the Week #16: on writing

Quote of the Week #17:

Other books I’ve been reading:

The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman (currently reading) 

Three things on my mind:

  • It’s been the most inconvenient time for the library to shut down for a month, the one time in the last three years I’ve needed it, to get books for school essays. This library is really run-down and have nothing, and it’s finally going to get a completely new building and more books!!! I’M SO SO EXCITED, I love libraries and want a space to meet and hang out with bookfriends, hope that happens
  • I’m still not doing a lot of reading, because there’s so much schoolwork. But I’ve also been partying, so it’s not like I’ve been locked in my house studying like some certain other weekends (the previous one). Is that this balance thing I was looking for in my life? Non-stop studying or downing a bottle of (low-percentage) vodka? Sounds like I’m an actual student. Caffeine intake have increased about 300%, so everything’s GrEAT
  • I’ve been watching “Chilling adventures of Sabrina”, the new netflix series based on Sabrina the teenage witch. The cat, Salem, doesn’t speak, which was a let down. But I’ve really loved and enjoyed this series, it’s perfect for fall and I’m just a very big fan of most things witches.

Recent book buys:

Netgalley: 

  • Glass moon by Megan Pollak
  • How to fracture a fairy tale by Jane Yolen

Other:

  • His dark materials series by Philip Pullman in ebooks, because that literature class paper isn’t writing itself unfortunately (I waited to see if it would, with no luck)

Book Bi-Weekly Update #4

aquapages // elineLeave a comment

Hi guys!

sunflower

New book posts:

Three things on my mind:

  • I’m starting to repeat myself, but I’ve not read a lot of books these past week or month. Why? I can’t. I literally cannot sit down with a book and understand what’s going on. I can barely follow tv series, or podcasts, or comedy specials – even though I try to have them on in the background as to not sit here in complete silence for the past week. #chronicillness problems I guess. In short I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve definitely been considering going to the hospital certain really bad days this past week.
  • everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by jomny sun has been a miracle when I literally cannot read and I am in pain and need distraction. It reads a bit like a children’s book, only it’s a graphic novel of sorts and there’s a lot more to it with loneliness and existential dread and aliens. It’s also nice that the drawings are black and white with big lines that can easily be drawn in with shaky hands, so that’s been fun. Cheers to better weeks ahead?
  • The day I’m publishing this post I’m a bit better and just picking up watching tv series again – maybe not the best pick as it’s pretty heavy and serious, but Mr Robot season 2 is so so good. It’s one of those shows that very much lives up to it’s build-up and hype.

Other books I’ve been reading:

  • An absolutely remarkable thing by Hank Green (currently reading, also wowowow it’s really finally here!!!!)
  • At the edge of the universe by Shaun David Hutchinson (currently reading)
  • The golden compass by Philip Pullman (currently reading)
  • everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by jomny sun

Added to my TBR:

  • It’s all too much by Peter Walsh. I’m pretty sure it was Alex Cox from the podcast “Do by friday” that brought up this book as the non-hocus-pocus or speaking to objects version of the famous “life-changing magic of tidying up”. That sounds like just what I’ve been looking for.
  • I wish you all the best by Mason Deaver. The author Alice Oseman recommended this young adult book, it has a nonbinary main character and anxiety.
  • The last girl: my story of captivity and my fight against the islamic state by Nadia Murad. SHE JUST WON THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING AND I’M SO HAPPY FOR HER!
  • I’ll be gone in the dark by Michelle McNamara. About the hunt for the golden state serial killer.
  • Never let me go by Kazu Ishiguro. Science fiction with boarding school.
  • My sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier. The sister is a psychopath supposedly.
  • Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. I’m forced to read another Ibsen play “a doll’s house” and while researching it noticed that I’ve never heard of or read this one.

Recent book buys:

This time my broke student self has completely avoided buying books, but I’m going to pay for continuing my Scribd membership and get audiobooks there because it’s cheaper (even though I’m still not the biggest fan of audiobooks)

The start of autumn | Bi-Weekly Update #3

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New book posts:

Other books I’ve been reading:

Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: it’s so good advice on how to raise a girl, short review for this short book coming soon. How do you like the two/three sentence reviews format?

Betrayed by Amalie Skram

At the edge of the universe by Shaun David Hutchinson (currently reading, well listening to the audiobook)

The golden compass by Philip Pullman (currently rereading)

Added to my TBR:

The wicked deep by Shea Ernshaw: seemingly good book for autumn mood with witches

The hearts we sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones: more paranormal ya, with demons

What if it’s us by Becky Albertalli: lgbt story by author of “simon vs the homo sapiens agenda”

The poet x by Elizabeth Acevedo: girl finding her voice through slam poetry, extremely high average rating

Getting things done by David Allen: this productivity book was discussed/recommended on the podcast “do by friday” and i guess i need it

The checklist manifesto by Atul Gawande: this productivity book was discussed/recommended on the podcast “do by friday” and i guess i need it

When women ruled the world by Kara Cooney: talking about podcast, i also listened to Kara Cooney of the Egyptology episode of one of my fav podcast Ologies by Alie Ward. I was one of those kids who fell in love reading about Ancient Egypt, and Kara’s knowledge didn’t disappoint.

The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Merline included it as one of her top 5 summer reads and I was intrigued.

Recently bought these books:

I don’t think I did?! Congrats to me as I’m trying to save money.

Update: forgot I bought “An absolutely remarkable thing” by Hank Green! It’s not supposed to be released before next week, but I quickly checked my local bookstore to be sure, and there the was the paperback!!

Three things on my mind:

  • I need to drink more coffee. I’m a tea lover, who drank espresso friday, because I was seriously about to fall asleep in a cafe. There’s one place in the small city that has good latte, otherwise espresso is effective. It was a fun day, with (for once) a chill school project with friends and another friend’s bday party. Now our whole friend group can go to clubs, which is great.
  • I think balance is the key to most things in your daily life. But choices to gain that balance is so difficult, when they have to be made quickly it’s nearly better, so you can’t waste time. I’m just struggling with this, I guess, as someone who’s got a lot of tests the next week, on antibiotics for a lung infection and wanting to have fun with friends as well.
  • I’ve barely read anything this week and won’t be able to next week, so that’s always a good sign I’m going a bit mental and don’t have time to relax.

Hoping for calm vibes | Bi-Weekly Update #2

aquapages // eline7 Comments

norway

I mean, how can you not be interested in the folklore, and then fantasy, born from mountains like these? 

I’ve written a lot of reviews, read a tiny bit of a lot of books at once and not listened to any audiobooks at all really. So I haven’t finished a lot of books these past two weeks because of reading for school and trying and failing to not be already behind one month into the semester. I do have to write an extensive essay, fifteen pages or so, about literature. It’s a so broad task that it has been hell to narrow it down. What I should write about is modernism as a literature time period, maybe take one book by Virginia Woolf and one by a norwegian author (as that’s the subject). What I want to do is analyzing “The Golden Compass”, aka Northern Lights of The Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman as a “bildungsroman” which is a more narrow definition of a coming of age story. As you may know, I am very into fantasy. But every time I’ve chosen fantasy or genre fiction with past teachers, my grade seem to magically drop even though they agreed to the choice. If everything goes to hell after the first draft, I’ll start tying in folklore or something. I need top grades on this thing, but I also need my sanity and it won’t stand up to reading Peer Gynt for four months.

So here’s the books I’ve been thinking about the past two weeks!

New book posts:

Other books I’ve been reading:

  • Six Easy Pieces by Richard Feynman (currently)
  • South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami (currently)
  • Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli (currently)
  • Our numbered days by Neil Hilborn
  • Betrayed by Amalie Skram

Added to my TBR:

  • The magicians by Lev Grossman
  • Again, But Better by Christine Riccio (so excited to read Christine’s new book when it’s released next year!)

  • Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini

Three things on my mind:

  • I really like lists, don’t I? Especially to-do lists, they are so satisfying, but it comes with the downside of if I am stressed enough I will just remake to-do lists and do nothing on them.
  • I need to read more poetry again. I feel like I stopped because I felt I don’t give each poem enough time when I read through a collection. But is there really one right way to read poetry? I usually have one read-through for enjoyment, especially if the poet is new to me, which is quicker. And then I bookmark poems that interested me and delve deeper into them, considering content more often than form, unless the structure and writing is spectacularly good.
  • Last weekend I partied. This weekend I am going to do relax as much as possible and not feel bad for it, but also study a bit. Tea, trees and blankets are my vision for this weekend. Also figuring out uncertainities of a physics experiment for school, which we spent four fucking hours on going through theory and performing. It was an easy cart down a ramp as well, actually getting the data took like ten minutes.

Lots of Reading & Lemon Cake | Bi-Weekly Update #1

aquapages // elineLeave a comment

Did you know biweekly means both twice a week and once every two weeks? Semiweekly means twice a week as well, so I’m going with biweekly and hoping that people catch on.

I used to do www wednesday, which I might return to someday, but I didn’t want to be bound to that format. So I hope you’ll enjoy some updates on what I’m doing and reading, as reviews will be scheduled some time in advance as we get further into the school semester (and busier).

New book posts:

Other books I’ve been reading:

  • The Price Guide to the Occult by Leslye Walton
  • Counting Descent by Clint Smith
  • Six Easy Pieces by Richard Feynman (currently)
  • Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
  • The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

  • The Universe of Us by Lang Leav

  • Whiskey Words & a Shovel II by r.h. Sin

  • South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami (currently)
  • Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli (currently)

DNF:

  • November 9 by Colleen Hoover
  • Chemically Coated Personalities by Justin Rawdon Lipscomb

Added to my TBR:

  • A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr
  • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
  • The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzie Lee

  • Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

  • A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver

  • Some of Us Did Not Die: New and Selected Essays by June Jordan

Recent book buys:

  • The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
  • La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
  • The Concept of Anxiety by Søren Kierkegaard
  • Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun
  • Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik – I forgot and nearly bought two copies

Three things I want to say:

  • If it’s you are like me and it’s the first week back at school and information is just thrown at you, it will calm down, and it will get more structured and better.
  • Lemon cake is the best cake, with lots of lemon and sugar creating the perfect balance. This glutenfree one is the best (you’re welcome to present better recipes if you disagree).
  • I really dislike it when I stop reading one book because of the boring characters, only to pick up another and it’s equally boring. Looking at you Lies Beneath and The Price Guide to the Occult (it’s a fantastic title though).