Allowed myself a wee book shop as a reward for doing a social thing I was feeling anxious about. It was slim pickings at the bookstore, but I did find this one from my TBR for a reasonable price.

#theyearofthehare #booklover #readersofpixelfed #bookstodon

I am uhtechnicuhally rereading Jane Eyre, but I genuinely don't remember a one single thing, so it feels like a whole new experience. I have this gorgeous 'painted edition', and I was so intimidated by the size for a good while, it really took me way too long to get to it. However, the writing is very accessible, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far. I'm trying to read about 60p a day, so I can finish it before the end of the month. Mostly because I have so many library books I need to return in March :V and I hate extending library loans, because there really aren't that many copies of most English language books in the system here, so any time I extend my loan is time someone else has to wait for a copy!

#janeeyre #charlottebronte #booklover #reader #readersofpixelfed

Against the Machine was a gorgeous read. Nothing so powerful as a genuinely good writer taking perfect aim at the heart of the matter.

I’m just starting Finding Lights now.

#book #books #readersofpixelfed #againstthemachine #paulkingsnorth #chrissmaje #findinglightsinadarkage

Okay, elephant in the room: this is nothing like the (80s) movie.

It’s significantly darker and deals WAY more with classism and mob mentality. Ben’s not running in an ARENA, he’s got the entire US to run in!

And the ending… Jeez Louise. Talk about a finality to it.

I hear they’re remaking the movie to be more faithful to the book and I really wonder if they’re going to keep the same ending. It’s, uh, something else.

I suppose the core is the same: a man runs from hunters. But that’s about where the similarity stops. Book Ben is doing it for money that he needs where movie Ben was a framed prisoner.

Book Ben is also a lot less interesting than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Sorry, Mr. King.

I thought the book ran a little long and the critiques on classism was enough without a subplot about how the air in the future is becoming poisonous and the poor are dying because they can’t afford fancy nose filters.

Kinda slowed the book down and, where a lot of King’s slower parts are there deliberately to show you the passing of time, this is a CHASE book. If there was ever a “go, go, go,” kind of book, this is it.

Also, this is the only time (so far) I’ve thought this, but The Running Man feels like it was a BIG inspiration to Chuck Palahniuk. A lot of it felt like he could have written it.

Pretty interesting.

Is it worth reading? Yeah. A lot of Bachman books are, but you have to go in knowing they’re a little more hit-or-miss and always darker.

Well. Usually darker. The Regulators felt more like a King book than a Bachman book.

This book is a lot of fun, regardless. I wouldn’t have any problems re-reading it during my next King re-read.

#stephenking #therunningman #books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog #richardbachman #runningman #horrorbook #chasebook #thriller #thrillerbook #constantreader

This book was chock-full of so many red herrings that I‘m not sure if it was deliberate or if Stine was giving himself options with how he felt toward the end of the book.⁠
⁠
But I had an idea who it was pretty early on, so maybe deliberate? ⁠
⁠
This is one of those books where you wish there was another twenty pages or so (and it‘s already longer than most Fear Streets) because Stine was aiming for a case of the protagonist going a little nuts and it was abruptly there and abruptly gone in this book. Another twenty pages would have made those transitions smoother.

Definitely one of the better Fear Streets out there, though I still think the best is One Evil Summer.

#rlstine #fearstreet #yahorror #horror #books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog

Perhaps it’s the autism, but I am faithful to a fault. Monogamy in just about every form is a piece of cake for me.

Even when it’s dumb. And this is a prime example.

I was a Goosebumps kid, through and through but I would see these Christopher Pike books in the shops with rad covers (not this one). I was irrationally indignant, offended that some other YA/children’s horror writer would DARE take shelf space away from RL Stine and I refused to read it out of principle.

Dumb.

Dumb, hell, it’s downright tragic because 1) more horror is always a good thing, 2) there’s room at the table for more horror writers, and 3)…

Pike’s a better writer.

I know, I know. If you grew up in my era you would think that nobody could possibly touch Stine because of all the success he got but Pike STOMPS all over him in this book. It’s tight, it’s entertaining, and it didn’t feel shallow.

(You’ll have to pardon the pun.)

This book is a supernatural murder mystery and I. Fucking. Loved. It.

I can’t recommend it enough. I know The Midnight Club might be a more famous book, but trust me: this is the one to try out Pike. It’s nothing but great and Midnight Club is more… well say niche. I’ll go into it more later.

For right now, though, I’m questioning my life’s decisions. So many years wasted when I could have given myself the freedom to try new things, branch out, experiment, and probably most importantly, drop something altogether if it’s not making me happy.

Barr minimum I should stop being so wildly loyal to a handful of authors, get out there, and be nothing short of a literary slut.

You should, too. It’s good for the soul.

Maybe start with this one. ;-)

#books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog #christopherpike #burymedeep

I’m a HUGE Steinbeck guy. I think that no author in the history of books has been able to capture the human condition - the struggle of it all - quite like him.

And this book? This book was pretty good.

It’s a little long for what I took to be the meaning of it, but still worth your time.

It focuses on a guy who decides to go west. As he goes, his father dies and the guy feels that his dad’s soul is inhabiting a tree on his new property. He talks to it and gets on with a prosperous life.

Eventually the kin-folk come and you know if there’s more than five people in a room, chances are one is a religious nut.

And guess what? One’s a religious nut.

The nut tries to convince the guy that it’s sacrilegious to treat the tree like it houses his dad’s spirit and, just before he leaves to go find more of his kind (or some bullshit), the nut KILLS THE TREE.

Says it’s for the best.

And the guy’s prosperous life crashes and burns like you wouldn’t believe.

And *I* take this to mean you should keep your religion to yourself because you interfering because you know best can ruin someone’s life.

I’ll say it again: trying to force your religious beliefs on someone else can ruin their lives with zero benefit. You’re not winning souls, you’re actively trying to hurt people.

When I mention Steinbeck to younger readers, they balk at the idea of reading him. His books are old and he’s a white man. What could he possibly add to the current conversation?

But the mind-blowing fact is that his books are WILDLY relevant today. Maybe even more than when they were written.

Why do you think his stuff is always selected for banning?

THESE are the books you should be reading if you’re one of those “I read banned books,” folks because it is BLATANTLY obvious why those in power would not want you to read them.

#books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog #johnsteinbeck #toagodunknown #literature #classics #bannedbooks

I have a big problem with stories that involve love triangles and manipulation in relationships. It’s just not fun to read about.⁠ That’s just me, though.
⁠
There’s a… there’s a point where I think rationally that it’s time to cut the line and go and when characters not only go past that point but WAY past that point, it’s frustrating to read.⁠
⁠
What’s even more frustrating is when Stine lays solid ground work for an interesting twist like if it was the sister who was playing these two girls off each other so she could swoop in and take the boy, proving once and for all that she isn’t as unattractive and undesirable as her sister claims, but then the perp goes with the more expected “I did it all to myself,” path.

There’s a lot of potential in Stine’s books and it makes me wonder if that’s what authors said when they were growing up. Like, if Agatha Christie fans were getting frustrated about how The Orient Express COULD have ended and decided they had enough and would start writing their OWN books to try to make some of that potential a reality.

I mean, there’s no getting around that creation is evolutionary so I could see that.

#books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog

This was WAY better than Halloween Party. So much better.⁠
⁠
It’s less than 150 pages so there’s not a ton of space for the mystery to take place, but… ⁠
⁠
Here’s my hang-up: there’s a mystery and it is largely ignored because so much of the story is actually built around the red herring. So my question is at what point do we take issue with this? The mystery is BURIED with this red herring and it turns into a chase thriller.⁠
⁠
But this thriller falls short because it’s all built on a REALLY dumb misread of a situation and then Stine sweeps in at the end and reminds everyone about the mystery that was brushed aside after the first couple chapters and it feels like, because of both of these things, neither is really strong.⁠
⁠
It was okay, but I think its primary shining point is that is isn’t Halloween Party.

#books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog

This was a rough book to read. The Columbine shooting was a traumatic event for the whole country and we received an unsatisfactory number of answers in the wake of the tragedy.

We weren’t the only ones, though.

Sue Klebold basically turned her life into preventing future shootings. She attends conferences, interviews psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, etc. She offers up the evidence left behind by her own kid and examines everything for red flags.

And this book is basically her telling what happened the day of the shooting and for the weeks after, and then the back half is a more clinical autopsy of the events with decades of research to lean on to point to the red flags in her own situation.

I’ve come across some people who refuse to read this book or even entertain what Klebold has to say because they’re still traumatized by that day, but the painful truth is that the sooner we delve into the “why,” the sooner we can actually make progress with stopping future shootings.

It isn’t as easy as less doors, metal detectors, security guards, etc. and it DOES require one to swallow the pain for a bit in order to prevent future tragedy.

It was a tough read, but it was very well-written and the goal here is noble. People wanted to crucify these parents because they couldn’t get to the kids and the parents were the next best thing. We, the public, were sold the idea of inattentive or neglectful parents and nobody wanted to hear otherwise. So it takes some serious guts to put out a book that not only tries to set the record straight, but does so as a lure with the hook being critical mental health information learned in the decades afterward that nobody is paying attention to.

This is definitely a book that should be read.

#books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog #columbine #shootings #parenting

One of the joys of reposting all these books is having a lot of time to ruminate on them.

I used to think I hated social media but it turns it’s just Twitter and Meta. Something in them winds up pissing me off and depressing me in record time.

Thanks to this book, I know it’s deliberate. Upset people spend more time on websites because they seek validation of their own opinions or punishment on the offender that’s upsetting them.

And social media companies use “we make people upset,” as a selling point!

It’s a good book that basically says delete them all, rebuild them eventually - whenever they finally tick your boxes - and then treat social media like a cat; come and go as you please and dedicate no fealty to such a bullshit scheme.

Since reading it, I’ve tried to adopt certain things. I deleted my Twitter and barely use my FB. I mainly stick to this place or Bluesky where at LEAST everything is chronological.

This is a pretty interesting book. Not fun per se, but interesting.

#books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog #socialmedia

I’ve heard a ton of people say this is a book about minimalism and I would like to state for the record that it is NOT. It’s more about figuring out what you really like and holding onto JUST that. If that means a billion bowls, well, so be it.

An interesting part was the author’s insistence that cleaning is so much more than just cleaning. In testimonials at the beginning of the book, people say they cleaned and it made everything in their life make sense and they got divorced.

I could kind of see revealing a person’s passions by way of seeing what you keep versus what you get rid of.

But divorce?

Seems rash.

Honestly, the most interesting part of this book is the author’s attitude that all things have souls and missions and they all deserve respect. If you treat them as humans with jobs, they last longer and you are happier.

On one hand, it makes sense that they last longer because you’ll naturally take better care of them when you, you know, care about them.

But the real perk to this is that it makes it so much easier to let it go. Is the forgotten toy happy in the back of the closet instead of being played with? It’s a toy that is meant to be played with, after all! Donate it so some child can put it to good use!

It’s pretty brilliant.

And she goes on repeatedly about the lack of rebounds while crediting her tidying method but I think the whole sentience thing probably plays a bigger part. If you get that into your head and operate with that in mind, even prospective purchases have to go through this filter (will this Steam game that’s on sale ever be played and happy, or will it occupy hard drive space until I get a new computer?) and THAT is what keeps people from rebounding.

At least that’s my theory.

#books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog #mariekondo #tidyingup #minimalism #cleanhouse

I reached 75% while I was at work today. This book has a lot more depth to it than I remembered, but it's also been like 13 years since I last read it. I loved seeing Rae help Con, but I had higher hopes for it. #bookstodon #reader #readersofpixelfed #readersofmastodon #vampires #magicusers #SunshineRobinMcKinley #Sunshine #RobinMcKinley #vampires #magicusers #urbanfantasy #darkromance #horror #RaeSeddon #RavenBlaise #Con #Constantine #Mel

I'm now 50% done with my reread of Sunshine. It's so good, and I love how Con acts as a vampire. I can't wait to see how everything goes when they go after Bo. #reader #readersofpixelfed #readersofmastodon #book #bookstodon #Sunshine #RobinMcKinley #vampires #urbanfantasy #darkromance #horror #magicusers #tinyone7 #hethey #demiboy

I liked Book 2 of the #stephenking Dark Tower series because it was a crazy story with VERY different characters, all in an uncomfortable relationship.

This one… a lot of those differences have been sanded down and I feel like some identity was lost.

That said, this book is a wild ride and I liked bringing Jake back into the fold. I liked Oy as well, even if he seems REALLY convenient at points.

It’s a really good book.

I didn’t like the ending at all, though. It’s super frustrating when books end on cliffhangers (book 2 of Hunger Games or Girl With the Dragon Tattoo immediately jump to mind). It’s pretty frustrating as a reader.

What’s more frustrating is that I know Wizard & Glass is next and, as frustrating as books ending on cliffhangers are, whole damn books about the past that interrupt the story are even worse.

Side note: I tracked down the original cover art sans titles because just LOOK AT IT. That has got to be the most beautiful, creepy piece ever used on a book. Really puts today’s covers to shame because, for me, unless it’s romance, I want REAL artwork on my covers. Right? Who’s with me

#bringbackrealbookart #books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog #stephenking #darktower #wastelands #stephenkingbook #stephenkingrules #constantreader

I'm officially 25% done with Sunshine. There's so much I forgot or didn't quite pick up on the significance of when I read this as a middle schooler. It's interesting to see how the vampires act and "live."
#reader #booklover #readersofmastodon #readersofpixelfed #bookstodon #bookdragon #vampires #magicusers #urbanfantasy #darkromance #horror #tinyone7 #hethey #demiboy

Oh boy, I’m excited to talk about #romancebooks with you guys!

As a young, awkward kid, I thought it was a good idea to read romances to hopefully get what girls wanted from dudes. But, since I was all of 11 or so, I’m not sure anyone really knew what they were into.

And that is BASICALLY the plot of this wonderful series: committed significant others are in the Bromance Book Club to make each other and themselves better partners by way of romance novels.

The side benefit to this is that, when you start improving yourself for your partner, you start improving yourself for the world as a whole and THAT feels an awful lot like philosophy in general.

So I found a lot in this book that I absolutely loved. I want to be the best husband - the best PERSON - I can and this world that the author makes is so damn charming that I found myself… not projecting, but close. I wished that I could know dudes that would want to help each other grow like this. It’s truly an aspirational book for a guy like me.

Now that we’re done with that, I just wanted to add that more dudes should read romance. I know a lot of you started following me because I covered RL Stine and Stephen King but there’s a true treasure trove of material in the romance aisles of your local bookshop.

Or, if you live in a backwards Christian town like I did, you might have to drive a bit to find a bookshop that stocks romances. Or at least secular romance. One shop said they could get me a Christian romance book but that’s not the kind of sex scene I’m after. ;-)

But seriously folks, the stories are fun, the characters are good, and there are steamy scenes in some romances. You should totally look into them.

#menreadromance #books #bookrecommendation #booktok #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksky #readersofpixelfed #read #readinglog #romance #lyssakayadams

I like to use Fable to track my reading and they have the option to create a shelfie with 5-8 books of your choosing. This is my second shelfie, and I focused on the dark romance genre for this! We've got mafia, motorcycle club, urban fantasy, high fantasy, Greek mythology retelling all represented here!
#WhenTheMoonHatched #Catalyst #HateToLoveYou #SaviorBookOne #Bad #JailerToTheDeathGod #Sunshine #NeonGods #SarahAParker #NicoleFanning #CharlyNicole #RebeccaFKenney #KateeRobert #JennSaviano #StevieJCole #LPLovell #RobinMcKinley #bookstodon #booksofpixelfed #readersofpixelfed #readersofmastodon #bookdragon #darkromance #fantasy #urbanfantasy #mafiaromance #mcromance #Greekgods #vampires #dragons #tinyone7 #hethey #demiboy

I need a change of pace, a palate cleanser. So, I've decided to reread #Sunshine by #RobinMcKinley. We're not gonna talk about how young I was when I first read it, in my defense, it was in the YA section and I'd read other books by her. #bookstodon #booksofpixelfed #reader #bookdragon #booklover #readersofmastodon #readersofpixelfed #urbanfantasy #horror #fantasy #tinyone7 #hethey #demiboy

I got visited by the Book Fairy while I was at work today!! A fellow book club member surprised me with The Witch of Crimson Arrows by AK Mulford and I'm so excited to read it! I follow AK Mulford on TikTok and I love their vibe, I need to read The High Mountain Court, cause that's the first in this series (TWoCA is the first novella of this series and I don't know which one I should read first, so I might leave a comment on a video asking) but I have a really good feeling I'm gonna enjoy it!
#AKMulford #TheWitchofCrimsonArrows #TheOkrithNovellas #fantasy #reader #bookdragon #bookstodon #readersofmastodon #readersofpixelfed #tinyone7 #hethey #demiboy