MickyFine Rocks 2022, Thread 9

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MickyFine Rocks 2022, Thread 9

1MickyFine
Editado: Ago 31, 2022, 3:19 pm


Salvage, Newfoundland. Photo credit mrbanjo1138 on Flickr. I cannot wait to see landscapes like this.

I'm Micky, 35 years old, librarian, and generally bookish nerd. I usually have a good mix of reads going on every year with strong doses of romance, sff, historicals, and a dash of non-fiction. I'm doing a Canadian author challenge for myself this year to try and increase the amount of Can Lit I read, which is often abysmal. Anyone who's interested is welcome to join me (schedule down thread). I do my best to be chatty on my own thread and in addition to my reading, I'll also discuss my craft projects (cross-stitch and crochet), board games, what we're watching, and general life goings on often featuring my husband, Mr. Fine, and our two cats, Ash and Smee. Posters and lurkers alike are welcome.

2022 will be the year that Mr. Fine and I finally go to visit his family in Newfoundland. In celebration of the trip, this year's thread toppers will be views of the Rock, as the island is affectionately known.

January
1. All Adults Here - Emma Straub
2. Arcadia - Tom Stoppard
3. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism - Amanda Montell
4. Wicked and the Wallflower - Sarah MacLean
5. Warlight - Michael Ondaatje
6. A Closed and Common Orbit - Becky Chambers
7. A Likely Story - Jenn McKinlay
8. The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London - Judith Flanders
9. Am I Overthinking This?: Over-Answering Life's Questions in 101 Charts - Michelle Rial
Favourite(s):


February
10. Troy - Stephen Fry
11. Bloodlust & Bonnets - Emily McGovern
12. The Twisted Sword - Winston Graham
13. Before She Was Helen - Caroline B. Cooney
14. The Anthropocene Reviewed - John Green (re-read)
15. Half-Blood Blues - Esi Edugyan
16. Space Opera - Catherynne M. Valente
17. The Murder on the Links - Kate McAll
18. Boy: Tales of Childhood - Roald Dahl
Favourite(s):


March
19. Cold-Hearted Rake - Lisa Kleypas
20. Binti: The Complete Trilogy - Nnedi Okorafor
21. Marvel 1602 - Neil Gaiman
22. Oscar Wilde: The BBC Radio Drama Collection - Oscar Wilde
23. Molly of the Mall: Literary Lass and Purveyor of Fine Footwear - Heidi L.M. Jacobs
24. Pretty Bitches - Lizzie Skurnick (ed.)
25. At Bertram's Hotel - Agatha Christie
26. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (re-read)
27. Index, A History of the - Dennis Duncan
28. Six-Gun Snow White - Catherynne M. Valente
Favourite(s):


2MickyFine
Editado: Ago 31, 2022, 3:20 pm

April
29. Hot Six - Janet Evanovich
30. Time After Time - Lisa Grunwald
31. The Bride Test - Helen Hoang
32. Mãn - Kim Thúy
33. The Garden of Small Beginnings - Abbi Waxman
34. Check, Please!: #Hockey - Ngozi Ukazu
35. Check, Please!: Sticks and Scones - Ngozi Ukazu
36. My Brown-Eyed Earl - Anna Bennett
37. Dark Mirror - Diane Duane
Favourite(s):


May
38. A Woman of No Importance - Sonia Purnell
39. Sorcery of Thorns - Margaret Rogerson
40. The Kaiju Preservation Society - John Scalzi
41. Gallant - V.E. Schwab
42. Julieta - Alice Munro
43. Other People's Houses - Abbi Waxman
Favourite(s):


June
44. Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron - Julia Quinn & Violet Charles
45. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking - T. Kingfisher
46. Seven Stones to Stand or Fall - Diana Gabaldon
47. Indians on Vacation - Thomas King
48. The Princess Beard - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne
49. Invisible Women - Caroline Criado Perez
Favourite(s):

3MickyFine
Editado: Sep 30, 2022, 11:16 am

July
50. Last Tang Standing - Lauren Ho
51. Bellevue Square - Michael Redhill
52. When a Rogue Meets His Match - Elizabeth Hoyt
53. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill - Abbi Waxman (re-read)
54. After the Wedding - Courtney Milan
55. Paper Girls - Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang (re-read)
56. I Was Told It Would Get Easier - Abbi Waxman
57. Mrs. Martin's Incomparable Adventure - Courtney Milan
58. Spoiler Alert - Olivia Dade
59. Phoebe and Her Unicorn - Dana Simpson
60. Crazy in Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop - Annie Darling
Favourite(s):


August
61. Thor: The Goddess of Thunder - Jason Aaron, et. al.
62. Because of Miss Bridgerton - Julia Quinn
63. Thor: Who Holds the Hammer? - Jason Aaron et. al.
64. All of the Marvels - Douglas Wolk
65. Book Lovers - Emily Henry
66. A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying - Kelley Armstrong
67. A Murderous Relation - Deanna Raybourn
68. Brazen and the Beast - Sarah MacLean
69. Better Late Than Never - Jenn McKinlay
Favourite(s):


September
70. The Secret Chapter - Genevieve Cogman
71. The Jane Austen BBC Radio Drama Collection - Jane Austen (re-read)
72. Storm Front - Jim Butcher
73. Let Us Compare Mythologies - Leonard Cohen
Favourite(s):

4MickyFine
Editado: Oct 31, 2022, 4:47 pm

October
74. Leviathan Wakes - James S.A. Corey
75. She-Hulk #1 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
76. She-Hulk #2 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
77. Adult Assembly Required - Abbi Waxman
78. She-Hulk #3 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
79. She-Hulk #4 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
80. I'm Afraid of Men - Vivek Shraya
81. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: High School Is Hell - Jordie Bellaire et. al.
82. Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village - Maureen Johnson
83. She-Hulk #5 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
84. She-Hulk #6 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
85. Flying Too High - Kerry Greenwood
86. Seven Up - Janet Evanovich
87. The Golden Enclaves - Naomi Novik
88. The Variants #1 - Gabrielle Simone & Phil Noto
89. The Variants #2 - Gabrielle Simone & Phil Noto
90. The Variants #3 - Gabrielle Simone & Phil Noto
91. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Once Bitten - Jordie Bellaire et. al.
92. Twice in a Blue Moon - Christina Lauren
93. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: From Beneath You - Jordie Bellaire et. al.
Favourite(s):


November
Favourite(s):

December
Favourite(s):

5MickyFine
Editado: Sep 29, 2022, 11:11 am

My rating system:

/ = Ran screaming in the other direction (aka did not finish)
* = Suffered through it for reasons I'm still not sure of
** = Had far more flaws than virtues
*** = A read I don't regret but could use some improvement
**** = A good, solid read that I might revisit
***** = Loved it beyond reason and will probably re-read in short order

6MickyFine
Editado: Oct 12, 2022, 4:54 pm

Canadian Author Challenge Schedule

January - Michael Ondaatje
February - Esi Edugyan
March - Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour
April - Kim Thúy
May - Alice Munro
June - Thomas King
July - Scotiabank Giller Prize
August - Kelley Armstrong
September - Leonard Cohen
October - Vivek Shraya
November - Non-fiction
December - Lucy Maud Montgomery



Born in Westmount, Quebec, music legend Leonard Cohen began his career as a poet and novelist in the 1950s before he released his first album in 1967. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, received the Glenn Gould Prize, and was a Companion of the Order of Canada. Best known for his song, "Hallelujah," Cohen also authored over a dozen collections of poetry and two novels prior to his death in 2016.

7foggidawn
Ago 31, 2022, 3:16 pm

Happy new thread!

8richardderus
Ago 31, 2022, 4:26 pm

So, are the huskies mushed, the moose-meat packed in the snow, and the barrels of blackfly repellent lashed to the sled for your cross-country to Newfoundland?

9FAMeulstee
Editado: Ago 31, 2022, 4:41 pm

Happy new thread, Micky!

>6 MickyFine: I love the songs of Leonard Cohen. I was lucky to be at a concert in Rotterdam back in 2013!

10curioussquared
Ago 31, 2022, 6:37 pm

Happy new thread, Micky!

11quondame
Ago 31, 2022, 9:23 pm

Happy new thread Micky!

12PaulCranswick
Ago 31, 2022, 9:38 pm

Happy new thread, Micky.
>1 MickyFine: Beautiful!

13bell7
Sep 1, 2022, 8:20 am

Happy new thread, Micky!

14MickyFine
Sep 1, 2022, 10:49 am

Thank you, Foggi, Richard, Anita, Natalie, Susan, Paul, and Mary for warming up my new thread.

>8 richardderus: Snort. Mm, not quite. *smooches*

>9 FAMeulstee: Very cool, Anita. I'm not a Leonard Cohen fan myself (I don't dislike him either for the record) but I'm trying to push myself out of my comfort zone a bit with the Canadian author project.

15MickyFine
Editado: Sep 1, 2022, 10:59 am

What's on the agenda: Very bleary start this morning. Come From Away is not a long show and we were home and in bed by 10:30 but I was awake for a bit around 2 as I lost an ear plug and the 5 a.m. alarm was pretty hard to obey today. The show was totally worth the sleepiness though - Mr. Fine and I both had a really good time (although as a Newfoundlander, Mr. Fine found the cast's accents leaned more Irish than Newfie - it's a hard accent to immitate). Happily it's the last day of work before we're officially on vacation! Callooh callay! My major tasks are getting through customer suggestions and submitting ALL OF THE CARTS. If there's time left in my day after that, I might watch a LinkedIn course because my brain is not in a very productive mode (unsurprisingly). I'm also doing a bunch of laundry today. Also trying to get through the last of my August rows on the temperature blanket so I can post pictures of it before I pack it up in carry on. Butter chicken for dinner.

What I'm reading: Didn't even open The Secret Chapter yesterday.

What we're watching: Finished season 6 of West Wing before we went to the theatre.

16MickyFine
Sep 1, 2022, 11:08 am

Wordle 439 4/6

⬛⬛⬛🟨⬛
⬛⬛⬛🟨🟨
🟨🟨🟨⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

PEONY, SLAIN, NIGHT, FUNGI

New streak off to a solid start. Did stare at the puzzle really hard for a long while after guess three though.

17foggidawn
Sep 1, 2022, 11:46 am

>15 MickyFine: Ooh, yay, Come From Away! I have no idea about the veracity of the accents in the production I saw, but I loved the show. Glad you both had fun.

18lauralkeet
Sep 1, 2022, 12:38 pm

Hi Micky! I had a staredown with my Wordle today, too. Glad you had a fun night out as a warmup to the amazing vacation ahead. I love that you're bringing your blanket project along, although I guess you'd fall hopelessly behind otherwise. I'm curious though: will you stitch based on the temps in Newfoundland or back home?

19curioussquared
Sep 1, 2022, 1:49 pm

Happy almost vacation!!

>16 MickyFine: I'm still staring after my guess #3 and might need to let it marinate for some time longer....

20drneutron
Editado: Sep 1, 2022, 2:23 pm

Happy new thread, Micky!

21MickyFine
Sep 1, 2022, 4:10 pm

>17 foggidawn: Here's an interview with Allan Hawco that gives you a good sample of what a Newfoundlander accent sounds like (and also some lovely Newfoundland scenery).

>18 lauralkeet: Yup, the blanket is definitely coming with me - 3 weeks is just too much catch up with the length of rows right now. I am planning to do the local Newfoundland temperatures while I travel. It'll be fun as we're leaving a heatwave for temperatures that are warm for Newfoundland but pretty moderate after several days above 30C.

>19 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie. Good luck with the marinating!

>20 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

22lauralkeet
Sep 1, 2022, 4:24 pm

Thanks Micky! I would want to somehow mark the three weeks as being in a different location. No idea HOW to do that, but it would be an interesting part of the record.

23MickyFine
Sep 2, 2022, 12:14 pm

What's on the agenda: Mr. Fine decided he wanted to start vacation by going out for breakfast, so we're just back from Tutti Frutti, topping up the gas tank in the car, and a quick stop at the bank. Big tasks today are packing (obvs) and cleaning the house. We will have time for supper at home - just pasta and whatever veggies in our fridge are still good. My Dad is driving us to the airport and we're leaving a bit early as there will be Friday of a long weekend traffic. Flight is scheduled to take off at 9:15 tonight and I'm excited!

What I'm reading: Didn't open my ebook yesterday. Not sure it'll happen today either as I'm too psyched up.

What we're watching: The new She-Hulk and we finished the last season of Mom.

24curioussquared
Sep 2, 2022, 12:28 pm

>23 MickyFine: Happy vacation! How long is the flight? I have no concept of Canada except "large." If forced to guess, I'd probably say... 6 hours?

25MickyFine
Sep 2, 2022, 12:29 pm



Finished the August rows last night. Definitely the hottest month so far. The coldest temperature was 18°C (on two separate days), the warmest was 32°C, and the most frequently used colour was Sizzle (26-30°C). Used up a whole skein of Sizzle (red) this month and a second is nearing its end.

26MickyFine
Sep 2, 2022, 12:31 pm

>24 curioussquared: Your guess is right on the money. We happily have a direct flight going out there and it's just under 6 hours from gate to gate.

27lauralkeet
Sep 2, 2022, 12:35 pm

The blanket is looking fab, Micky. I hope you have a wonderful vacation!

28norabelle414
Sep 2, 2022, 1:06 pm

>25 MickyFine: ooh, a third corner! I it when you hit the corner of something on the bias and know each row is only going to get shorter and shorter

29foggidawn
Editado: Sep 2, 2022, 2:46 pm

Vacation! Have so much fun! Post lots of pictures!

30katiekrug
Sep 2, 2022, 3:01 pm

Safe travels, Micky!

31MickyFine
Sep 2, 2022, 6:24 pm

>27 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura!

>28 norabelle414: It is definitely a good feeling. I'm hoping by the time I get back from Newfoundland, I might have time for other crafts in the evening.

>29 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi! I'll do my best on the picture front.

>30 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

32MickyFine
Sep 2, 2022, 6:26 pm

Wordle 440 3/6

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
⬛⬛🟩⬛🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

PEONY, STAIR, CHARM

Forgot to post this earlier. Excellent start to vacation with this.

33bell7
Sep 3, 2022, 10:38 am

Safe travels, and a great vacation, Micky!

34Berly
Sep 14, 2022, 6:22 pm

Have fun!!!

35bell7
Sep 27, 2022, 8:27 am

*waving* hello, and hope all's well with catch up after vacation. I had fun following your adventures on Instagram.

36katiekrug
Sep 27, 2022, 8:44 am

Ha! I came over here to basically say the same thing as Mary :)

37MickyFine
Sep 27, 2022, 10:03 pm

Aww, thanks, Katie and Mary. I'm swimming in catch up at work. There were about 750 emails waiting for me - a lot of them are things I can delete but I have to wade through them all. Made it through about 600 today although there are a handful of items that were flagged for follow-up. Haven't even peeked at customer suggestions waiting for me.

I'm hoping to get back into LT things by the weekend at the latest but we'll see how life goes. I'll start lurking soon, hopefully. 😊

Trip was excellent. I'll post some kind of summary... eventually? 3 weeks is a lot to summarize.

38curioussquared
Sep 28, 2022, 12:25 pm

Welcome back! Glad the trip was excellent and hope you conquer your inbox today :)

39richardderus
Sep 28, 2022, 1:26 pm

>37 MickyFine: Take your time, we're all gonna be here when you're not run off your feet.

40MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 11:06 am

>38 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie. I finished triaging my inbox yesterday and dealt with the last of the emails that needed a written response from me this morning. Now to start tackling customer suggestions in all the places.

>39 richardderus: Thanks, RDear. *smooch*

41MickyFine
Editado: Sep 29, 2022, 11:26 am

Book 70



The Secret Chapter - Genevieve Cogman

Irene and Kai, while on a quest to recover a book that will help stabilize the world where Irene attended boarding school, are roped into being members of a group who are executing a heist for a fairy who is straight out of a Bond film. However, the item being stolen reveals new information about dragons that threatens to shatter the fragile peace treaty that Irene and Kai are working so hard to preserve.

Another solid entry in the Invisible Library series that kept me highly entertained throughout.

Rating: ****

42MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 11:30 am

Book 71



The Jane Austen BBC Radio Drama Collection - Jane Austen (re-read)

With all the driving in the initial part of our trip both Mr. Fine and I got to pick an audiobook. I picked this familiar favourite as you can never go wrong with Jane.

Rating: *****

43MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 11:45 am

Book 72



Storm Front - Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden is asked by the Chicago Police Department to aid in their investigation of a murder of a couple who were obviously killed with magic. At the same time he's juggling a private inquiry from a woman who wants assistance in finding her missing husband. Harry must also deal with his watchdog from the White Council who is just waiting for Harry to break the rules so that he can execute Harry.

Early into my relationship with my husband, I used my librarian skills to recommend the Dresden Files series to him as something he'd like (without having read them myself). They were a huge hit and he's read/ear-read them more times than I can count. When we had a long road trip ahead, he decided it was time for me to listen to the first book for myself and it was a good time. James Marsters reads the novel and his narration definitely amplified my enjoyment. Butcher's urban fantasy meets noir-ish mystery is a good time and I'll definitely be exploring the rest of the series.

Rating: ****

44MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 11:46 am

That's it for books completed on vacation. Our days were very full and I did not get much reading time in. I came home with only 100ish pages in Leviathan Wakes completed and I'm hoping to knock that out before September ends, but we'll see.

45curioussquared
Sep 29, 2022, 12:32 pm

>41 MickyFine: I have the first of this series on my Kindle and should get to it! Someday....

>44 MickyFine: I enjoyed Leviathan Wakes when my book club read it but it definitely took me longer than I thought it would for some reason. I haven't continued with the series, but it's one I still have on my radar -- Tim loved the whole thing and the TV series, too.

46MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 1:29 pm

>45 curioussquared: I'm really enjoying Leviathan Wakes when I pick it up but haven't always been picking it up since we got back. All the settling back into routine, I think.

47MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 1:47 pm

Prepare for photo spam.

48MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 1:47 pm


Looking north from about as far north as you can drive on Newfoundland (just outside the L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site).


Abstract-ish sculpture at L'Anse aux Meadows.


Sod house reconstruction at L'Anse aux Meadows.




Coastline views around St. Anthony.

49MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 1:55 pm


Arches Provincial Park. The arches are much higher than they look in this picture.


From a walk not too far from where my in-laws live. We just don't get seas of ferns like this on the prairies.






Views from our hike at Chamber Cove.

50foggidawn
Sep 29, 2022, 2:01 pm

Beautiful photos!

51MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 2:06 pm


Cape Spear Lighthouse.


Signal Hill.


View of St. John's Harbour from Signal Hill.


Quidi Vidi.


View of the Battery in St. John's.

52MickyFine
Sep 29, 2022, 2:07 pm

53richardderus
Sep 29, 2022, 3:54 pm

Beautiful countryside.

I used to watch Republic of Doyle just to get the scenery bits & pieces!

54lauralkeet
Sep 29, 2022, 5:29 pm

Wow -- stunning photos, Micky. Thanks for sharing them -- and welcome back!

55curioussquared
Sep 29, 2022, 6:20 pm

Gorgeous photos! Love the blue skies and bright buildings.

56drneutron
Sep 29, 2022, 7:33 pm

Those are beautiful!

57MickyFine
Sep 30, 2022, 10:32 am

>53 richardderus: It is a beautiful place. I'm sure Allan Hawco's good looks had nothing to do with why you were watching Republic of Doyle. *smooch*

>54 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura.

>55 curioussquared: Thanks, Nathalie. I joked that I brought Alberta sunshine with me as Newfoundland (and particularly St. John's) is known for being cloudy, drizzly, and foggy. We did have a bit of that but far more sunny days than not.

>56 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

58MickyFine
Sep 30, 2022, 10:54 am

Let's try getting back into the regular swing of things around here, shall we?

What's on the agenda: I have today off for Truth and Reconciliation Day but Mr. Fine does not so we were up at 5 so I could drop him off at the bus. Afterwards I emptied the dishwasher and then spent a couple hours sorting out all the budget and bill things after our trip. Very satisfying to have all the spreadsheets back in proper order. Now the rest of the day is mine to do with as a I please (mostly). I'm only a couple days behind on the temperature blanket but I have A LOT of ends to weave in so I might try to power through that with something on the TV in the background. I have to cook some macaroni for the pasta salad we're having for supper tonight. Mr. Fine bought Stray for me to play on the PS5 and I might start that. And I would like to put some quality time in with my current read. Also, Mr. Fine's birthday is a month from tomorrow and I should order some gifts for that. Supper is macaroni and tuna salad. We're planning to have a fire in our backyard firepit this evening. We bought a s'mores kit during the summer and haven't opened it yet (the travesty).

What I'm reading: Sitting at around 320 pages through Leviathan Wakes. Unlikely that I'll finish it today but hoping to wrap it up this weekend.

What we're watching: A few episodes of Resident Alien (we're now halfway through season 1). Anyone else watching this one? We're really loving Alan Tudyk (as usual).

59klobrien2
Sep 30, 2022, 10:57 am

>58 MickyFine: We just watched the last episode of Season 2 of Resident Alien last night! Tudyk is wonderful, but the whole cast is pretty great. Can’t wait for Season 3!

Karen O

60MickyFine
Sep 30, 2022, 11:03 am

Book 73



Let Us Compare Mythologies - Leonard Cohen

It was... poetry? There were 2 or 3 I liked. The rest were words on a page. I'm not a poetry person though so if you are, your experience is likely to be much different. Read to complete this month's Canadian author challenge quickly. :)

Rating:***

61MickyFine
Sep 30, 2022, 11:06 am

>59 klobrien2: Glad to hear season 2 is good too. We borrowed the first season from the library so we'll be waiting for a bit for season 2 unless it hits one of the streaming services we have.

62MickyFine
Sep 30, 2022, 11:15 am

September Summary



Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 4 (73)
Books abandoned: 0 (2)

Fiction: 3 (61)
Non-fiction: 1 (12)

Adult: 4 (64)
YA: 0 (6)
Children's: 0 (3)

Library: 4 (65)
Mine: 0 (8)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Canadian author: 1 (9)

Re-reads: 1 (6)

Female authors: 2 (55)
Male authors: 2 (19)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 484 (20,793)
Hours: 22 hours, 29 minutes (2 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes)

Average rating: 3.90

Average time to read book: 4.96 days

Favourite book(s): For new-to-me reads, Storm Front was a pretty solid start to a series. And James Marsters as narrator made it that much better.

63norabelle414
Sep 30, 2022, 11:19 am

Resident Alien is so good! It's a show that definitely would not work without Alan Tudyk but I love all the other characters so much

64richardderus
Sep 30, 2022, 11:24 am

>62 MickyFine: I've got to haul my monthly together today. It's not like it's hard to do, but today I don't feel motivated...Annie Proulx left me a bit forlorn....

>58 MickyFine: Resident Alien: what >63 norabelle414: & >59 klobrien2: said

>58 MickyFine: Alan...Whatnow? I can't seem to recall anyone unusually toothsome in the cast...

*snort*

Have a lovely Truth & Reconciliation Day off.

65foggidawn
Sep 30, 2022, 11:59 am

>58 MickyFine: Good to have you back! I'll have to take a look at Resident Alien. Alan Tudyk is a major point in its favor.

66AMQS
Sep 30, 2022, 9:10 pm

Welcome home! LOVE the photos! How wonderful that you had a direct flight (and that travel plans weren't upended by the hurricane). I can't begin to imagine how to fly to Newfoundland from here and Denver is a major hub!

Good luck easing back into real life:)

67MickyFine
Sep 30, 2022, 9:49 pm

>63 norabelle414: I knew if anyone around here was watching it, you were the most likely suspect. 😊

>64 richardderus: Thank you muchly, RDear.

>65 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi! I think you'd probably like Resident Alien.

>66 AMQS: Thanks, Anne. Our flight was direct going to Newfoundland but coming home we had to go through Toronto. The airline we used only does direct flights from Edmonton to St. John's during the peak summer season (Victoria Day weekend to Labour Day weekend). Having the direct flight going was nice though.

68bell7
Oct 1, 2022, 10:13 am

Lovely photos, Micky! Hope you're getting back in the swing of things and email triage wasn't too bad.

I watched Season 1 of Resident Alien and it was entertaining but a little dark for me? I couldn't decide if I wanted to watch Season 2 or not, so I'll look forward to seeing what you think as you continue watching and see if I want to pick it up again.

69MickyFine
Oct 1, 2022, 2:30 pm

>68 bell7: Thanks, Mary! The email triage wasn't too painful. Now comes the Sisyphean task of catching up on customer suggestions. Le sigh. That's a Monday problem though.

70MickyFine
Oct 1, 2022, 2:39 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: I woke up pretty early this morning and got through all my phone games before Mr. Fine's alarm went off. His daughter came over for breakfast today (French toast) and he's making chicken stew for supper tonight so he had a lot of food prep first thing. Visit with the step-daughter was lovely and she headed out around 11 as she has a wedding to attend this afternoon. Watched church online after she departed. Mr. Fine has been corralled into helping our friend M with shifting some stuff before our game night with M&A this evening and he'll be off soon for that. I'm planning to squeeze in a walk this afternoon and finishing up the September rows on the temperature blanket before I join everyone. Supper will be the aforementioned chicken stew and our friend, A, went to the fancy French bakery in their town for dessert so I'm excited to see what she picked up. Will probably be home late.

What I'm reading: Still Leviathan Wakes.

What we're watching: I got in a few episodes of Felicity during the day and Mr. Fine and I watched one episode of the 90s animated X-Men series (our current half-hour show) in the evening. Not even halfway through season 1 and they're doing Days of Future Past.

71MickyFine
Oct 1, 2022, 6:06 pm



Three weeks in another province and still stayed on track with my temperature blanket. Woot! The coldest temperature was 12°C (thanks, L'Anse aux Meadows) and the warmest was 31°C (thanks, Labour Day weekend heatwave at home). The most frequently used colour was Ice (16-20°C) and I used up a skein each of Banana and Ice.

72katiekrug
Oct 1, 2022, 7:39 pm

Pretty!

73MickyFine
Oct 2, 2022, 8:34 pm

>72 katiekrug: Thank you!

74MickyFine
Oct 2, 2022, 9:10 pm

What's been on the agenda: Slept until after 8 this morning, which is sleeping in for me these days. Got up, had breakfast, and did all the cleaning. Then we went out to the comic book store where I signed up to get new issues of She-Hulk and The Variants (a Jessica Jones series). I'd picked up issues of both while we were in Newfoundland so now I'll stay current. 😊 Then we went to a new board game shop Mr. Fine wanted to visit and came away with Obscurio. Afterwards we had an ice cream date and picked up a couple groceries. Once we got home, we went for a walk. I did some crochet while Mr. Fine cooked supper. We had lamb chops, garlic mashed potatoes, and carrots. Finishing the evening up with a movie.

What I'm reading: Leviathan Wakes is still on the go.

What we're playing: We played Lords of Waterdeep for game night last night. Mr. Fine won.

75MickyFine
Oct 3, 2022, 3:20 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: Mr. Fine is on early shift again this week so up at 5 once more. An in office day for me and the first day free of my previous manager. It's pretty delightful as Mondays go. Major task from now until what feels like the end of time will be catching up on customer suggestions. I'm mostly caught up on suggestions made through OverDrive (maybe an hour or so of work left to do) but I haven't peeked at suggestions made through our catalogue today. The number of suggestions people can make resets at the beginning of the month so I'm sure it will be sitting at around 650 or so. Mostly trying to figure out how to balance catching up while also working on other ordering/projects. Soup and grilled cheese on the meal plan tonight. Virtual craft circle this evening.

What I'm reading: Unsurprisingly, Leviathan Wakes is still on the go.

What we're watching: I watched an episode of Felicity while Mr. Fine was prepping dinner. Movie night last night was Everything Everywhere All At Once. I enjoyed it but it's also trippy as hell.

76richardderus
Oct 3, 2022, 3:30 pm

>75 MickyFine: Isn't it weird how there's never a Work Nixie or a Job Elf whose supernatural role is to finish up the niggly little tasks for you? What on Earth is wrong with the Supreme Being, anyway, not giving Her Creation such actually helpful help?

Anyway. May it all take surprisingly little time.

77curioussquared
Oct 3, 2022, 4:40 pm

>75 MickyFine: Oh, I loved Everything Everywhere All At Once. Trippy isn't always my thing but it very much was in this case.

78lauralkeet
Oct 4, 2022, 6:49 am

It sounds like you're pretty busy at work, catching up from vacation. I hope you're still able to maintain that chill holiday glow LOL! Also hoping the work environment is generally more pleasant given the manager change.

79katiekrug
Oct 4, 2022, 8:44 am

I forgot the manager would be gone when you got back from vacation. Woot!

80bell7
Oct 4, 2022, 8:51 am

I hope your Monday was as delightful as expected (not having to deal with said manager I'm sure was a highlight!), and that Tuesday cooperates with you too.

81MickyFine
Oct 4, 2022, 1:05 pm

>76 richardderus: I wish - although customer suggestions are a big chunk of my days even when there isn't weeks' worth of catch up to do. At least the number waiting for me yesterday wasn't quite as high as I expected (615ish).

>77 curioussquared: I loved how it explored so many themes and ideas while also just being a fun scifi film. Not an easy tightrope to walk.

>78 lauralkeet: So far I'm feeling pretty relaxed about work things and it's lovely. It's been a while since my stress levels have been this low on work days. :)

>79 katiekrug: The first three days after I came bac she was still here but thankfully she was mostly busy prepping for her own departure so I didn't have to interact with her much. But woot indeed!

>80 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Feeling very productive and it's a delight. Still swamped with catch up, of course, but making solid progress through it all.

82MickyFine
Oct 4, 2022, 1:27 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: Second of my three days in office this week. Did a couple small tasks first thing, went through the September issue of Booklist, and the rest of the day will be customer suggestions except for a meeting this afternoon meeting the new rep for one of our vendors. Tacos for supper tonight and then I've got a massage this evening.

What I'm reading: I am SO CLOSE to finishing Leviathan Wakes - about 20 pages or so left, so I should wrap it up on my coffee break this afternoon. Next up will be Adult Assembly Required.

What we're watching: One episode of Doctor Who and one of X-Men.

83foggidawn
Oct 4, 2022, 1:30 pm

>82 MickyFine: I've been craving tacos lately -- I should make them soon.

84MickyFine
Oct 4, 2022, 1:31 pm

Wordle 472 6/6

⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛
⬛🟨🟨🟨⬛
⬛🟩🟩⬛🟩
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

PEONY, SHOUT, COUCH, DOUGH, ROUGH, BOUGH

85richardderus
Oct 4, 2022, 5:08 pm

>84 MickyFine: Only the one step less than your solution, Micky.

86MickyFine
Oct 5, 2022, 11:16 am

>83 foggidawn: I am always in favour of tacos.

>85 richardderus: Nicely done, sir!

87MickyFine
Oct 5, 2022, 11:30 am

What's on the agenda: Last in office day this week and I am glad about it. Picking business casual clothes has been too much work for me this week. :P Work today will include checking on staff reported collections gaps, entering a booklist from an upcoming local featured writer, going through the latest issue of AudioFile, our bi-weekly group meeting (our first with our associate manager now filling the role of acting manager), and of course all the customer suggestions forever and always. It's our weekly night for eating out/takeout and it's my turn to pick. I'm feeling pub food so I think we'll end up Sherlock's.

What I'm reading: Adult Assembly Required is often to a fantastic start.

What we're watching: One episode of Resident Alien.

88MickyFine
Oct 5, 2022, 11:41 am

Book 74



Leviathan Wakes - James S.A. Corey

Using the official blurb because I don't think I can do it better:
Two hundred years after migrating into space, mankind is in turmoil. When a reluctant ship's captain and washed-up detective find themselves involved in the case of a missing girl, what they discover brings our solar system to the brink of civil war, and exposes the greatest conspiracy in human history.

This is truly top-notch space opera with large dashes of noir-ish mystery mixed in (and I suppose a smattering of horror as there are some decidedly gross bits). The world and the characters that Corey builds is utterly compelling and the constantly moving goalposts on the central mystery of the novel makes it hard to put down. Recommended for space opera fans.

Rating:****

89MickyFine
Oct 5, 2022, 11:43 am

And now that I've read the first book I have questions for friends who have watched The Expanse:

1. Can I watch season one now or does the show encompass multiple books in a season?

2. How gross is the show? I can handle the grossness on the page because my brain only kind of fills it in. Grossness on the screen is harder for me.

90katiekrug
Oct 5, 2022, 12:37 pm

Yay for the Waxman!

91richardderus
Oct 5, 2022, 12:49 pm

>89 MickyFine:, >88 MickyFine: I am such an apostate with this series...I strongly prefer the TV show!

The first season of the show brings parts of the second book into the mix mostly by melding the timelines. I think your grossness filters are going to be challenged all the way through the series. Some of the protomolecule scenes are...unnerving. The later events are war-based, and that's never goreless.

Happy Humpday!

92MickyFine
Editado: Oct 5, 2022, 5:59 pm

>90 katiekrug: Waxman's books are like slipping into something comfy. Such a lovely experience every time.

>91 richardderus: Very helpful, thank you. So I'll wait to watch until I read book two at least and then see if I need to be behind the sofa for the gruesome bits. :)

93MickyFine
Oct 6, 2022, 5:50 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: Dropped off Mr. Fine at the bus and then came home for a shower and spent some time listening to podcasts and working on my temperature blanket. I spent my morning at work drafting a blog post for staff about our English language learning collections and then doing my bi-annual check for new editions of the travel guides that I maintain in OverDrive/Libby. On my lunch break, I went to the car dealership to have a second key programmed for my car - the one I have has a new battery but has been acting up and since we have keyless entry/start I did not want to be stranded somewhere if the key stopped working completely. Happily, they got the work done in the promised hour so I was able to get there and back within my break time. The afternoon was spent wrapping up my travel guide check, attending a meeting to review progress on an app our web services department is building for my department (so excited for it to be live), and then the inevitable time with customer suggestions. After work, I'll head over to the library for the weekly return and pick up of things. Chicken pesto pasta for supper this evening.

What I'm reading: Making excellent progress in Adult Assembly Required, especially with my waiting room time at lunch.

What we're watching: An episode each of West Wing and X-Men.

94The_Hibernator
Oct 6, 2022, 8:52 pm

I loved the Dresden books for a long time, but they felt a little chauvinist after a while. He's too into rescuing women.

95MickyFine
Oct 7, 2022, 11:17 am

What's on the agenda: Dropped off Mr. Fine at the bus, then cleaned up after cats a bit. Followed that with finishing up yesterday's row on the temperature blanket while watching a bit of TV. Then went back out to pick up a couple groceries - the store is super quiet at 7:30 in the morning. Work today will be customer suggestions all day, methinks. Plus whatever crops up in email as it's a Friday before a long weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving) and that seems to be when weird stuff shows up in my inbox. Turkey bacon BLTs for supper tonight. Plotting a walk and some Lego assembly this evening, which should be a nice start to our long weekend.

What I'm reading: Adult Assembly Required continues to be great. I might finish it today?

What we're watching: Binged the last four episodes of Resident Alien and finished season 1 last night. We are officially big fans of the show in this house now.

96MickyFine
Oct 7, 2022, 11:31 am

Books 75-76



She-Hulk #1 and She-Hulk #2 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.

Rainbow Rowell authors a fresh start for She-Hulk. Jennifer Walters is back on Earth and struggling to once again find her place as she starts a new job and settles into a loaner apartment. But when a friend from the past, who is supposed to be dead shows up, it adds a new wrinkle to her already messy life.

I love Rainbow Rowell and since I have a comic loving husband, I end up in comic shops a lot. So it's not surprising that I finally succumbed to his influence and dipped my toe into the world of single issues with this series - I have a file at a local comic shop and everything now. So far enjoying this arc a lot and I adore the cover art on the whole series. Prepare for more issues to show up here as I work my way through the nightstand stack.

Rating: *** for both

97MickyFine
Oct 7, 2022, 11:33 am

It feels a bit cheater-y to count single issues as a book but I wouldn't quibble if it were a children's picture book so telling that part of my brain it's wrong. So with that I have reached (and surpassed) 75!

98curioussquared
Oct 7, 2022, 11:35 am

Woohoo! Congrats :) I don't think it's cheating at all!

99norabelle414
Oct 7, 2022, 11:59 am

Ooh I have those on my stack as well, I should get around to them.

100drneutron
Oct 7, 2022, 1:44 pm

Congrats! Not cheating at all...

101richardderus
Oct 7, 2022, 1:45 pm

102MickyFine
Oct 7, 2022, 3:37 pm

>98 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie!

>99 norabelle414: I think you'll like them whenever you do get to them, Nora.

>100 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>101 richardderus: *smooch* Thank you, RDear.

103quondame
Editado: Oct 7, 2022, 3:55 pm

>96 MickyFine: Congratulations on 75!

Ah, my daughter has taken over companioning my husband to comic shops. But then, now that books are available straight from my computer to my kindle, I don't have any real enthusiasm for standard bookstores either - a major heresy in LT, but I'd rather be reading...

104FAMeulstee
Oct 7, 2022, 5:53 pm

>97 MickyFine: Congratulations on reaching 75, Micky!

105MickyFine
Editado: Oct 8, 2022, 4:13 pm

106MickyFine
Editado: Oct 8, 2022, 4:14 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: Awake a little earlier than I'd have liked but made up for it by staying in bed for ages. When I eventually got vertical we had breakfast and watched church online. Afterwards Mr. Fine had his weekly call with his parents and his daughter then went to the gym. I spent a couple hours catching up on weaving in ends on the temperature blanket as I hadn't done any since before we went to Newfoundland. I'm now happily caught up for a hot second. Definitely going back to doing these weekly for the rest of the year. When Mr. Fine gets back we're planning to go for a longish walk as the weather is gorgeous this weekend (currently sunny and 22°C). Might do some Lego assembly before Mr. Fine starts food prep for tonight and for Thanksgiving dinner with the family tomorrow. Shepherd's pie for supper tonight. Movie night might be a double feature if we can stay awake past 10. 🤣

What I'm reading: I owe a bunch of reviews as I ended up finishing 4 titles yesterday (3 were very short). I've got the first volume of the Buffy comics reboot, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: High School Is Hell, up next in the stack.

What we're watching and playing: Watched one episode of She-Hulk (we're a few weeks behind). Assembled the sunflowers and roses Mr. Fine got me as part of my flowers anniversary gift this year (I'll end up with two bouquets between all the kits he got me). Then we started on his Viking ship.

107quondame
Oct 8, 2022, 6:30 pm

>106 MickyFine: Oh, like everybody has a Viking ship building in the back yard - I mean I know people who'd want to, maybe even a couple who have worked on one, but wasn't expecting it to just be a casual mention here.

108MickyFine
Oct 8, 2022, 7:26 pm

>107 quondame: Lego Viking ship. We're not building a longboat in our backyard, I promise. 😆

109quondame
Oct 8, 2022, 9:25 pm

>108 MickyFine: The Marvel one or the Midgard serpent one?

110PaulCranswick
Oct 9, 2022, 12:15 am

Happy Thanksgiving weekend, Micky.

111ArlieS
Oct 10, 2022, 11:45 am

>97 MickyFine: Congrats on 75!

112bell7
Oct 10, 2022, 11:55 am

Congrats on 75 and beyond!

And while I say "not cheating" to you, I'm reminding myself that if I'd say it to someone else, I should say it to myself, too - I'm about to start Paper Girls and had been contemplating how to count them.

113richardderus
Oct 10, 2022, 11:57 am

Happy Thanksgiving, Micky.

114foggidawn
Oct 10, 2022, 1:24 pm

Happy Thanksgiving!

115katiekrug
Oct 10, 2022, 1:27 pm

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Micky!

116MickyFine
Oct 11, 2022, 4:27 pm

>109 quondame: The latter.

>111 ArlieS: Thank you!

>112 bell7: Thanks, Mary. It's so funny how we're so forgiving for other readers and yet it feels like "cheating" when it's yourself. However you count Paper Girls, it's definitely not cheating and I hope you enjoy the heck out of them.

Thank you, Paul, Richard, Foggi, and Katie for the Thanksgiving well wishes. It was a lovely long weekend and we had a great time gathering with the family at my brother's farm.

117MickyFine
Oct 11, 2022, 5:09 pm

What you've missed: We went to my brother's farm (about an hour's drive from where I live) to have our family Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. Mr. Fine and I slept over so that we could have a game night with my brother and SIL after the kiddos went to bed. We were back home late Monday morning (screaming toddler at 7 meant no sleeping in) and did our usual Sunday chores then. I also got in some crochet between end of chores and our usual evening routine.

What's (been) on today's agenda: Mr. Fine's on early shift again this week (third week in a row) and I'm working in office, so the usual getting ready routine this morning. Work today was catching up on email (our branches were closed on Monday but a lot of the places I get emails from are US-based), updating Lucky Day content, a couple meetings, and customer suggestions. It's our weekly night out for supper tonight and it's Mr. Fine's pick this week. No clue what he's leaning towards. Not even sure if we're going out or getting take out.

What I'm reading: I whipped through a bunch of short reads on the weekend. Some were single issue comics and some were just some shorter reads that cropped up in the shuffle of the TBR list. Reviews coming... eventually. Started Flying Too High on the bus this morning.

What we're watching: Saturday night was a double feature of Blast from the Past (not as charming as my tween brain remembered it being) and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (weird and the meta-ness only worked for me part of the time). Last night we watched a few episodes of Doctor Who.

118norabelle414
Oct 11, 2022, 7:53 pm

>117 MickyFine: Monday was a holiday here, too! Tell those people to stop emailing you.

I refuse to believe that Blast from the Past is not the most charming movie ever, how could my tween brain possibly be wrong?

119MickyFine
Oct 12, 2022, 4:19 pm

>118 norabelle414: To be fair, some of them are notifications about automated carts from OverDrive that run weekly whether it's a holiday or not.

LOL. Blast from the Past is not a bad movie and I was delighted when a young Nathan Fillion showed up in a smaller role. That said, I'd probably say don't rewatch it and just let your brain hang on to your tween opinion.

120MickyFine
Oct 12, 2022, 4:29 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: Working from home today so after dropping off Mr. Fine, I came home and took an early walk before taking a shower and starting the paid part of my day. Couple small tasks this morning, spent some time going through September issue of LJ (I am behind in lots of different ways these days), had a meeting with our new OverDrive rep, drafted some notes for questions that came in for the the AMA-style course my group is running next week, and the rest of the day is customer suggestions (as ever). Since I'm working from home I also multi-tasked and made some phone calls to book annual physicals for me and Mr. Fine plus scheduled my car for seasonal tire swap. Also tried to book a hair appointment but had to leave a voicemail. Two out of three ain't bad, especially since I HATE making phone calls. After work, I'll meet up with Mr. Fine and we'll do our bi-weekly grocery shop. Ravioli, garlic bread, and salad for dinner.

What I'm reading: Only 50ish pages left in Flying Too High after lunch so good odds I'll finish it this evening.

What we're watching: The first two episodes of Andor. I was not hugely excited about this series and so far my opinion hasn't changed but Mr. Fine is liking it a lot so I'm pleased for him.

121richardderus
Oct 12, 2022, 4:33 pm

>120 MickyFine: Once I heard "Firefly but in Star Wars drag" I realized I didn't seem likely not to make invidious comparisons.

Anyway. A lovely, productive day, Micky, so enjoy! *smooch*

122MickyFine
Oct 12, 2022, 4:58 pm

>121 richardderus: Hmm, interesting thought. Not sure I'm far enough into yet to see the Firefly of it all but I'll keep my eyes out.

123MickyFine
Oct 12, 2022, 5:07 pm

Since I didn't start a new thread for October, I realized I forgot to do my post about this month's Canadian author. So belatedly:



Vivek Shraya is a trans artist of colour who has released multiple music albums as well as writing several novels, collections of poetry, non-fiction essays, and a play. A seven-time Lambda Literary Award finalist, Vivek was a Pride Toronto Grand Marshal and has been a brand ambassador for MAC Cosmetics and Pantene. She grew up in the Edmonton area and is a creative writing professor at the University of Calgary.

124Deedledee
Oct 12, 2022, 9:15 pm

>123 MickyFine:
perhaps I'll give She of the Mountains a go.

125MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 11:51 am

>124 Deedledee: She writes a little bit of everything so I'm sure you can find something that suits your fancy. According to her website, she's currently adapting her play How to Fail as a Popstar into a TV pilot for CBC, so that might a fun one to try.

126MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 12:33 pm

Yesterday was a very full day in the office so I didn't get around to posting here - a decent day just lots of tasks and a couple meetings. Plus there was a union rally at lunch as they started negotiating our new contract yesterday. I ended the work the day by losing my key fob for work (it went astray sometime in the afternoon because I had it when I came back from the rally) which was a stressful end. I'm hopeful it'll turn up but it's not the end of the world if it doesn't. Just a pain for getting into the building on Monday - although my lovely coworkers have promised to let me in. Dinner was Costco chicken alfredo penne, which was very tasty.

What's on today's agenda: Went to bed last night unsure if the bit of sniffle I had was just seasonal allergies or a cold (spicy cough test was negative). Woke up this morning and I'm still not sure. I took a Reactine (which I do for either as cold medicine makes me feel loopy and I avoid it if I can) so congestion is gone but I have a bit of irritation high in my throat from post-nasal drip overnight that is lingering. Happily it's a work from home day so I can drink all the tea with honey anyone could possibly want while I attempt to figure out what my immune system is up to. Trying to spend as much of the day as possible working on customer suggestions - I'm still a month-ish behind and I'd like to close the gap a bit. Especially since we got our first comment from a customer asking about the delay in responses (victim of my own typical efficiency there). Mr. Fine is having a group of friends over for a game night this evening so I'll make myself scarce for that. He's feeding them (and also me) beef stew, which is currently in the slow cooker and smells amazing. I'll probably occupy myself with crochet and cross-stitch while the guys are playing.

What I'm reading: Hanging out with Stephanie Plum again and reading Seven Up.

What we're watching: Wednesday was West Wing night. Last night we watched a few episodes of She-Hulk (still have 2 episodes left to watch) and then I watched an episode of Felicity while Mr. Fine was prepping stew things.

127MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 1:20 pm

Book 77



Adult Assembly Required - Abbi Waxman

Laura Costello has freshly moved from New York to Los Angeles for grad school and when disaster strikes, she ends up walking into Knights' books and stumbling into a new circle of friends at the same time. At the bookstore she meets Polly, who takes pity on Laura and snags a space for her renting a room in the same house as Polly and a handful of others, including Impossibly Handsome Bob. It's not long before Laura has a new circle of friends. But Laura has come to LA not only for grad school but to prove to herself and her family that she can operate on her own after a traumatic accident and the baggage that comes with that might stop her from seeing that she and Bob could definitely be more friends.

First off, while this book can be treated as a standalone, it contains a ton of spoilers for The Bookish Life of Nina Hill so I highly recommend reading that first. And of course, as with all of Waxman's novels, other characters from previous books crop up as well so reading her whole bibliography sequentially is really rewarding for the attentive reader. That disclaimer out of the way, I really loved this book. The circle of characters that Waxman has created as tenants in the same house as Laura are a delight. While Laura is nominally the lead character of the novel, plenty of other people get time in the spotlight with the roving third person omniscient point of view. While there's heavy subject matter in the book, it also feels completely cozy to dive into this world. The slow build romance between Bob and Laura is also a delight. Definitely a book I'll be acquiring for my own shelves. Highly recommended.

Rating: *****

128curioussquared
Oct 14, 2022, 1:46 pm

>125 MickyFine: Ooh, stew sounds delicious. It's still unseasonably warm here but once it gets a little cooler I'm going to put that on the recipe rotation!

>126 MickyFine: I have this one on hold but it may be a while until I get to it as I keep checking out an unreasonable amount of audiobooks at once :)

129MickyFine
Editado: Oct 14, 2022, 4:20 pm

Books 78-79



She-Hulk #3 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
She-Hulk #4 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.

She-Hulk and Jack of Hearts continue to try and figure out how he's back from the supposedly dead and why he searched out Jen first. Also, Jen continues to find her place in her new law firm as a bunch of superheroes come knocking for representation.

Enjoyed these two issues even more than the first two as the story finds its footing. Jen continues to grow on me as a protagonist and I am delighted by the other Marvel universe characters who crop up in these issues.

Rating: ****

130MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 2:01 pm

>128 curioussquared: It's been unseasonably warm here too but it cools off enough in the evenings that Mr. Fine and I have just fully jumped on the fall/winter foods bandwagon. We've got two soups and this stew in the meal plan for the next two weeks, LOL.

>129 MickyFine: LOL. I hear you. Always such a danger being let loose in a library (or library catalogue).

131foggidawn
Oct 14, 2022, 2:42 pm

Mmm, I need to get the soups and stews into my meal plans! It's starting to get chilly here, so my comfort food cravings are kicking in.

132MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 3:18 pm

>131 foggidawn: Yay for chilly season!

133norabelle414
Oct 14, 2022, 3:19 pm

>126 MickyFine: Absolutely vicious colds/sinus infections going around this year. Feel better soon!

134MickyFine
Editado: Oct 14, 2022, 4:20 pm

Book 80



I'm Afraid of Men - Vivek Shraya

In this short book comprised of a single essay, Vivek Shraya reflects on the various ways men and masculinity have made her fearful, from experiences in childhood, to her time in her twenties as a gay man, to her time coming out as a trans woman in her thirties. In the process she reflects on how we might approach gender in the 21st century and how it has the potential to improve the experiences of everyone regardless of their gender expression. While the book is only a brief 85 pages, it's a thought-provoking read with plenty of ideas to unpack and consider.

Rating: ***

135MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 3:38 pm

>133 norabelle414: So far my symptoms are pretty mild but at the halfway point through the day, I think it's safe to declare this a cold. Ah well, at least it struck after our trip to Newfoundland. Now back to drinking ALL THE TEA. On my second pot of the day. :P

136norabelle414
Oct 14, 2022, 3:43 pm

>135 MickyFine: Lucky you, when I had my sinus infection it was over 90F (33C) out every day and I would rather have died of a sore throat than drunk any hot tea

137MickyFine
Editado: Oct 14, 2022, 4:20 pm

Book 81



Buffy the Vampire Slayer: High School Is Hell - Jordie Bellaire et. al.

In this new series of Buffy comics, the writers reboot the series taking the characters we know and love and shifts the starting point of the show to the present day (2019). While the characters are familiar, details change and Buffy's storylines change with them. The writing hangs on to the witty repartee that was a trademark of the original show but also takes its own twist in fun ways. Buffy is still new to Sunnydale when she befriends Willow and Xander after saving them from a vampire, but Willow has a girlfriend and Xander has secrets of his own. Plus several familiar villainous faces turn up in the first few issues with nefarious plots of their own. Recommended for fans of the series who are intrigued by the concept.

Rating: ****

138MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 4:04 pm

>136 norabelle414: Oh gross. That would be brutal. I had a viral nasal infection five years ago and it flared up and down for weeks. I hope you're fully over yours?

139norabelle414
Oct 14, 2022, 4:12 pm

>138 MickyFine: Yes, it very conveniently lasted only a week, just long enough that I couldn't use the ticket to Six: The Musical I had bought months earlier.

140MickyFine
Editado: Oct 14, 2022, 4:20 pm

Book 82



Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village - Maureen Johnson & Jay Cooper

Maureen Johnson's quirky sense of humour comes out in full force for this satirical guide to avoid getting murdered when one visits a small English village. As she outlines all the many locations, events, and village characters who are likely to be responsible for your untimely demise, Jay Cooper's spare black and white illustrations (with splashes of red) add to the charm. A quick and very funny read that will have fans of cozy mysteries set in small English villages laughing uproariously.

Rating: ****

141MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 4:17 pm

>139 norabelle414: Oh yes, I remember you missed out on that. Sorry it was such rotten timing. Any chance Six will come back through DC again?

142norabelle414
Oct 14, 2022, 4:44 pm

>141 MickyFine: Oh yes I'm sure it will, but now my theater friends have seen it already :-(

143MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 5:05 pm

Books 83-84



She-Hulk #5 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
She-Hulk #6 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.

First off, I adore the covers on these two issues. The cover art by Jen Bartel is just perfection. As for plot, Jen and Jack's relationship continues to deepen in fun ways and Rowell incorporates the fantastic idea of dressing up in fancy dresses to eat cake Wednesdays and I love everything about it.

Rating: ****

144MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 6:06 pm

Book 85



Flying Too High - Kerry Greenwood

Phryne Fisher is hired by an acquaintance to try and talk down a son from his apparent plans to murder his overbearing father. However, when the father is found dead the day afterwards, Phryne must now prove the son didn't commit the crime. At the same time, a young girl is snatched off the street by parties unknown and Phryne is asked to provide her services in that case as well.

A solid second entry in the Phryne Fisher. Greenwood does an excellent job of conjuring late 1920s Australia and Phryne is a delight as both a stylish flapper and a competent private detective. I loved the characters established in this book with her new household staff and while I deduced the solution to the mystery of the novel (the kidnapping isn't so much a mystery as an escapade that's also there), it didn't reduce my enjoyment of the novel. I'll definitely be spending more time with Phryne in the future.

Rating: ***

145MickyFine
Oct 14, 2022, 6:07 pm

And with that I am officially caught up on reviews!

146MickyFine
Oct 15, 2022, 2:50 pm

What's on the agenda: The cold is going strong today but happily I slept pretty decently last night so I'm bleary but not exhausted. Got up this morning to help Mr. Fine prep ingredients for minestrone we're making in the slow cooker today. Then he made breakfast and we watched church online. I'm doing some crochet right now and there's talk of continuing assembly of the Lego Viking ship. Probably reading and cross-stitch later this afternoon. Supper will be the aforementioned minestrone with rolls Mr. Fine picked up from the bakery yesterday. Double feature tonight if I can stay awake for it.

What I'm reading: Only managed a couple chapters in Seven Up yesterday. My attention span for reading isn't great when I'm sick.

What I'm watching: I got in a couple episodes of Felicity while Mr. Fine was hanging out with the guys.

147curioussquared
Oct 15, 2022, 6:30 pm

Oof, sorry to hear you've been hit with a cold! Minestrone sounds like an excellent remedy.

148MickyFine
Oct 15, 2022, 7:04 pm

>147 curioussquared: Thanks for the well wishes! Minestrone is one of my all-time favourite soups.

The agenda above was a bit ambitious and I ended up spending two hours in bed dozing/resting (not sure it could quite be considered a nap). I'm in the final half hour before I can take another dose of antihistamine and my face feels full of gross fluids. Here's hoping that the congestion phase passes soon as it's the part of colds I hate the most.

149richardderus
Oct 16, 2022, 8:49 pm

*smooch*

150foggidawn
Oct 17, 2022, 9:48 am

>140 MickyFine: You remind me that I wanted to read that.

151MickyFine
Oct 17, 2022, 10:39 am

>149 richardderus: Nice to see you back making rounds, RDear. *germ-free smooches*

>150 foggidawn: I think you'd really enjoy it, Foggi, and it's a quick read.

152MickyFine
Oct 17, 2022, 10:45 am

What's on the agenda: The cold continues to kick me around (how I can be this stuffy while on antihistamines is beyond me). Got up to drive Mr. Fine to the bus and then went back home and let work know I'm taking a sick day. Hoping things improve today but so far I've been feeling about the same as the last few days. I've got a book and craft projects handy and I might also give the copy of Stray Mr. Fine bought me for our PS5 a whirl. Supper tonight will be mac n cheese from scratch.

What I'm reading: Slow progress in Seven Up.

What we're watching: Saturday night was The Mummy (love me some late 90s Brendan Fraser). Last night was a few episodes of TNG and the last two episodes of She-Hulk.

153richardderus
Oct 17, 2022, 10:46 am

>151 MickyFine: Thank you, o maskèd one. Germ-free is urgent...I can't remember if I wore my mask in Trader Joe's or not and have been sick with anxiety about it.

Recover quickly vibes beaming aux Canada.

154katiekrug
Oct 17, 2022, 11:02 am

I hope you feel better soon, Micky! Colds are The Pits.

155curioussquared
Oct 17, 2022, 1:03 pm

Sorry the cold is sticking around but glad you can take a sick day!

156MickyFine
Oct 17, 2022, 6:48 pm

>153 richardderus: Much thanks!

>154 katiekrug: They are indeed awful. I took a shower earlier and briefly felt almost normal (thank you, steam) but am back to being super stuffy. I have a feeling I'm going to be off sick another day or two at this rate.

>155 curioussquared: Yup. Our union agreement isn't perfect but our sick time allotment isn't bad.

157MickyFine
Oct 18, 2022, 11:38 am

What's on the agenda: Woke up and took Mr. Fine to the bus station and then called in sick again today. I can tentatively say I think I'm improving but the true test will be this afternoon when the antihistamines wear off. I at least have a bit more energy as I've had to make several trips downstairs and back to wash all the bedding as Smee deposited a hairball on the bed last night. Sigh. Besides laundry I'm planning to cross-stitch and crochet today, plus I'd like to finish my current read. Other than picking up Mr. Fine when he gets back to the burbs, that will be it for my day. Supper will be perogies, turkey sausage, and veggies of some kind.

What I'm reading: Still Seven Up.

What we're watching: I watched A Lot of Felicity yesterday while crocheting and for the chunk of the afternoon when congestion was ramping back up because drugs were wearing off (nasal congestion just makes my brain completely useless). Finished season 3 and into season 4 now (just finished the episode with Felicity's pregnancy scare but Ben finding out she had sex with Noel still hasn't happened yet). In the evening, Mr. Fine and I watched a couple episodes of Doctor Who and a couple of X-Men.

158MickyFine
Oct 19, 2022, 1:49 pm

What's on the agenda: I'm still dealing with some sinus congestion but can breath through my nose again so I opted for the WFH life today. I think I might have a sinus infection rather than a cold, as with a cold I'd have a sore throat and cough by now. Instead, it's stayed all in my sinuses - happily none of the signs of a bacterial infection so hoping it'll clear up on its own in the next few days. After catching up on email, I did a few smaller tasks, attended our biweekly group meeting, and the rest of the day will be customer suggestions. Being off for two days has not helped with the growing backlog. It's feeling particularly Sisyphean dealing with these lately. Take out tonight is my pick and I'm ordering Indian food. Hoping the curry will help clear my sinuses a little - besides tasting amazing. :)

What I'm reading: Started The Golden Enclaves last night and it's off to a solid start (she said two chapters in).

What we're watching: There was again a lot of Felicity playing in the background while I crafted yesterday. I'm now halfway through season 4. Evening viewing was a few episodes of Andor (we've watched through episode 5 now) and while it's still not making my list of favourites, I'm actually interested in where it's going now. There was also a single episode of X-Men.

159MickyFine
Oct 19, 2022, 1:59 pm

Book 86



Seven Up - Janet Evanovich

Stephanie is assigned a bounty for a senior citizen, Eddie DeChooch who is far more wily at getting away from her than anyone expected. However, while searching for DeChooch Stephanie stumbles on a body and unraveling the links between Eddie and the corpse and the disappearance of a few of Stephanie's acquaintance will take all of Stephanie's skills and luck.

It's more of the same for this series and as long as I space these out it's comforting rather than irritating. There's more Morelli v. Ranger hemming and hawing from Stephanie, Grandma Mazur continues to say the most ridiculous things, and Stephanie somehow manages to solve the crime yet again. I most enjoyed the growth for Stephanie's mother and sister in this volume. If you like formulaic mystery series, this ain't bad although there are a few spots the book shows its age.

Rating: ***

160richardderus
Oct 19, 2022, 2:10 pm

Wednesday orisons, comfort-reading library-lady Micky.

161MickyFine
Oct 19, 2022, 3:59 pm

>160 richardderus: Much thanks, RDear. *smooch*

162bell7
Oct 19, 2022, 9:39 pm

Sorry to hear about the after-vacation cold, but hope you're getting some good books in while you recover.

163lauralkeet
Oct 20, 2022, 7:22 am

I've missed a couple of days here Micky and didn't realize you were still under the weather. I hope you continue feeling a bit better, day by day.

I read the first six Stephanie Plum books and totally agree with your "more of the same" assessment and the importance of spacing them out. I just looked at my catalog and it appears I read books 4, 5, and 6 in a matter of weeks and then ... stopped. And I know it was because the formula became a bit much. You still have a lot of books to enjoy if you play your cards right!

164MickyFine
Oct 20, 2022, 10:42 am

>162 bell7: Thanks, Mary. The books have been pretty decent to me and I watched a lot of soapy TV during the worst symptom days.

>163 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. It's definitely waning - thank goodness. As for Stephanie Plum, if I read one to two a year I should be able to string them out for well over a decade or two. LOL.

165MickyFine
Oct 20, 2022, 11:12 am

What's on the agenda: Well the sinus infection continues to improve, thank goodness. Mr. Fine informs me that my snoring is back to its normal volume so he's happier with the world too. WFH life is extra sweet today as it's pretty windy and rainy out there this morning. Most of my day will be customer suggestions with a brief break this afternoon for a monthly team meeting. After work I'll make a quick trip to the library for the weekly drop off and pick up of stuff. Chicken fajitas for supper tonight.

What I'm reading: The Golden Enclaves is keeping my eyeballs busy.

What we're watching: A few episodes of West Wing.

166curioussquared
Oct 20, 2022, 1:22 pm

>164 MickyFine: I have a couple series like that where it's probably going to take me a decade to get through them 😂

167MickyFine
Oct 20, 2022, 3:57 pm

>166 curioussquared: I'm honestly not sure I'll make it through the 30ish Stephanie Plum books but they're there when I want them. :)

168MickyFine
Oct 21, 2022, 11:31 am

What's on the agenda: Happy Friday, friends! With my sick days it's been a short week but I'm still super relieved that it's the last work day this week. The sinus infection is better but seems to have stalled at the same level of improved but not completely gone. I'm a little concerned that I'll end up with a chronic infection like I had a few years ago, which flared up and down for months and was generally exhausting. So fingers crossed I feel completely normal by the end of the weekend. Got in a bit of crochet time before work today and I'm on the last couple rows of the first of four toques I'm making for the niblings. Still rocking the WFH life and most of the day will be customer suggestions (forever and always). I do have my first 1:1 meeting with our acting manager, and while she's been an associate manager in our department my whole time here, I'm still a little nervous. Charcuterie plates for supper tonight. Our evening entertainment will be continuing assembly of the Lego Viking ship - we'll see if we power through the last few bags to wrap it up tonight.

What I'm reading: About halfway through The Golden Enclaves.

What we're watching: One episode of Supernatural and the first two episodes of The Rings of Power. Mr. Fine is a much bigger LOTR fan than I am and he's really enjoying the series so far. Much like Andor, I like it fine but it's not knocking my socks off.

169richardderus
Oct 21, 2022, 11:51 am

Happy weekend-ahead's reads, Micky...I'm quite sure your meeting will go better than any meeting with the undear departed-too-late went. You are good at your job, and this new acting manager is in a position to know it.

I hate you passionately and forever for having charcuterie plates when I'm having chicken and rice.

*smooch*

170curioussquared
Oct 21, 2022, 12:38 pm

>168 MickyFine: Good luck with the manager meeting! Can't be worse than the old one, right? And yum, charcuterie :)

171MickyFine
Editado: Oct 21, 2022, 4:28 pm

>169 richardderus: It was a really lovely meeting, actually. I've always really liked our associate manager and I think reporting directly to her (whatever the length of her tenure) will be a delight.

I don't eat pork so you probably can envy my charcuterie a little less. :P Happy Friday smooches for you, RDear.

>170 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie. It was a really good meeting and it's nice to have a manager who is both interested in the work I do and who also wants to make sure I take care of myself (she really emphasized not stressing about how behind I am on customer suggestions as that won't help when I'm already sick). A great first meeting.

172richardderus
Oct 21, 2022, 6:26 pm

>171 MickyFine: ...don't...eat...

...but...

...but MICKY! Charcuterie! Pork is charcuterie! Charcuterie - Pork = TRAVESTY!

Say, you're just funnin' with the old guy, aren't you you devil-woman? Hm? Of course you are!

charcuterie with no pork HA! you really had me goin' for a minute

173MickyFine
Oct 22, 2022, 10:54 am

>172 richardderus: We had a really nice turkey sausage and plenty of cheese (which is my favourite part anyway). But see, I made you less jealous. *smooch*

174richardderus
Oct 22, 2022, 10:59 am

>173 MickyFine: ...I certainly am less jealous, since you ate turkey that shuddersome fowl. I'd rather eat tofurkey! Or HuFu!

Still, it does soothe the savage breast of resentful charcuterie-deprived chicken-and-rice chompin' me.

Happy weekend! *smooch*

175MickyFine
Oct 22, 2022, 11:02 am

What's on the agenda: I've been awake for a bit but Mr. Fine is still snoozing. I'll probably get up shortly for a shower. Breakfast will be pan scramble today as we have some extra turkey sausage hanging around in the fridge. Then we'll watch church online. Mr. Fine is theoretically going to the gym at some point so I'll likely do some reading and crafting while he's out and then we'll play a board game when he's back. Turkey chili on the meal plan for supper. Not sure if we'll make cornmeal muffins to go with it or pull some sourdough rolls out of the freezer instead. Double feature likely this evening.

What I'm reading: I think I'll wrap up The Golden Enclaves today. It was super hard to put down at bedtime last night as things are a-happening.

What we're watching and playing: I squeezed in an episode of Felicity after work before picking up Mr. Fine from the bus station. We did power through the rest of the Viking ship and sea serpent Lego set last night. Mr. Fine is delighted.

176quondame
Oct 22, 2022, 4:30 pm

>175 MickyFine: The Golden Enclaves flows right along doesn't it!

177MickyFine
Oct 24, 2022, 1:19 pm

>176 quondame: It definitely does.

178MickyFine
Editado: Oct 24, 2022, 1:29 pm

Yesterday's adventures: I was up early-ish yesterday as I was supposed to have the winter tires put on my car. However, got a call that one of the technicians called in sick and they needed to reschedule so that outing was cancelled until later this week. Did the usual Sunday cleaning and went for a walk with one of Mr. Fine's friends and her pupper. Then did a quick errand run for a new mattress pad, some filters for the cat water fountain, and a trip to Wal-Mart for cookies and season 2 of Picard (we came home with a few other blu-rays too). Supper was chicken pot pie soup, which was quite tasty.

What's on today's agenda: Back to the in office life as my sinus infection appears to have ebbed (fingers crossed it doesn't crop back up). Tasks today have and will include getting through the last of the reviews in the September Library Journal, starting on a featured list for OverDrive/Libby, my "random coffee" meeting (librarians from my organization and the local university we're randomly paired up for a chat, which was a lot of fun), and the neverending customer suggestions. Meatloaf for supper tonight and back to virtual craft circle this evening.

What I'm reading: Started Labyrinth Lost on the bus this morning. It's off to a shaky start - poor copy editing and some uneven storytelling but I'll give it a full Pearl Rule and we'll see.

What we're watching: Saturday night's double feature was Shaun of the Dead followed by The Prestige. Last night we watched a few episodes of TNG and one of X-Men.

179MickyFine
Oct 24, 2022, 1:43 pm

Book 87



The Golden Enclaves - Naomi Novik

The final book in the Scholomance trilogy. I'm not going to properly review this one as any summary will be chock full of spoilers for the first two books. Suffice to say the cliffhanger from the previous book is resolved and Novik ties up her story in way that should be satisfying for readers who have been following the series.

Rating: ****

180MickyFine
Oct 24, 2022, 1:51 pm

Books 88-90



The Variants #1, The Variants #2, The Variants #3 - Gail Simone & Phil Noto

Jessica Jones is nearing the 10th anniversary of her release from the psychotic mind controlling villain, Kilgrave, and there are hints that Kilgrave has left behind something awful to mark the occasion. At the same time, alternate versions of Jessica from different universes are cropping up in the city for reasons unknown.

Gorgeous art, a multiverse related story, and Jessica Jones. I'm here for it.

Rating: ***

181richardderus
Oct 24, 2022, 2:39 pm

>178 MickyFine: I loved your Saturday film-fest films! The Prestige is a Priest novel I very deeply appreciated...have y'all read that one?

An Aussie author I newsletter-follow, Ben Peek, did his weekly essay about a Tarkovsky film he rewatched lately: The Sacrifice, which deals with a man's apparent emotional and psychological breakdown in the face of nuclear war. (The usual cheery Tarkovsky chuckle-fest, then.) He mentioned it and *bam* back to Solaris went my mind. That's a film I'd recommend to y'all for a film night.

I'm racked by sciatic pain, Micky...I can barely cripple along...you, Homo canadensis, can help me in my extremity of suffering by suggesting a Halloween/Day of the Dead tree idea for my new-thread topper since my well is dry while my sciatic nerve is making me wretched.

182MickyFine
Oct 24, 2022, 5:45 pm

>181 richardderus: I haven't read The Prestige yet but I know Amber read it this year and her review put it on The List. I had never seen the film before this weekend either but one of the podcasts I listen to discussed it recently (I'm behind on episodes) and I wanted to watch it before listening to their spoiler-laden discussion. Both Mr. Fine and I quite enjoyed the film.

I'll have a ponder on a tree for you and in the mean time, feel better smooches are winging your way.

183MickyFine
Oct 25, 2022, 3:19 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: Second (and last) in office day today. It's a bit of a disjointed one as I have a couple meetings which always throws off my flow. This morning I updated our lucky day content, attended a short meeting announcing our new department manager (an internal hire but a branch manager who's never worked in our department and that none of us know well so... cautious optimism?), worked on customer suggestions, and had a 1:1 meeting with our new director (she's meeting with all librarians in my department). This afternoon will be more customer suggestions interrupted by an hour-long librarian trio meeting. Our organization has been doing coaching trios for managers for a while and have now decided librarians should do it as well. We'll see how it goes. Mr. Fine and I are going out for supper tonight for Neapolitan-style pizza.

What I'm reading: I did end up abandoing Labyrinth Lost as my patience for YA is much smaller than it used to be and I had some problems with internally inconsistent writing in the first 100 pages. For the target audience, it probably works way better though. Today I started Twice in a Blue Moon and was surprised to find myself in a riff on A Room with a View. We'll see what Christina Lauren does with that frame.

What we're watching: A couple episodes of Doctor Who before I went to craft circle.

184curioussquared
Oct 25, 2022, 3:50 pm

>183 MickyFine: Yum, your pizza night sounds delightful. Is the new department manager going to be your direct manager?

185MickyFine
Oct 25, 2022, 5:45 pm

>184 curioussquared: I do love this pizza place although sadly my favourite pizza they make is only available during the summer so I'll have to go for one of my lesser favourites (which are still delicious).

If they keep our current reporting structure, yes the new department manager will be my new direct supervisor. We'll see if she decides to shake things up.

186richardderus
Oct 25, 2022, 7:44 pm

>185 MickyFine: Why Micky! I never took you for the type to eat watermelon-and-tangerine-sherbet cold salmon pizza, that Canadian summer treat like tiger-tail ice cream.

...or was chapmans.ca havin' me on...

187bell7
Oct 25, 2022, 9:38 pm

Sorry Labyrinth Lost didn't work for you. I remember liking it when I read it last year, but I read it quickly and long enough ago that I don't really remember much about it.

I have Golden Enclaves here and ready to go soon (I want to finish up another fantasy book first so as not to be reading two at the same time and confusing myself), so glad to hear it wraps up well overall.

Hope your workday was good, if disjointed, and your week goes by fast.

188MickyFine
Oct 26, 2022, 11:15 am

>186 richardderus: Snort. Excellent Dad joke game there, RDear. *smooch* Also, I love tiger ice cream and still have a smidgen left in my freezer from this summer.

My pizza had chicken, artichoke hearts, red pepper, and pistachio pesto on it and was absolutely scrumptious. Look forward to the couple leftover slices I'll be consuming at lunch. :)

>187 bell7: Labyrinth Lost was definitely a quick read - I made it through 100 pages in an hour-ish of reading but my brain kept noting flaws and I have a big nightstand stack so I opted to move on to things I'll enjoy more.

I hope you enjoy Golden Enclaves when you get to it. :)

189MickyFine
Oct 26, 2022, 11:22 am

What's on the agenda: Enjoying that sweet work from home life. Dropped off Mr. Fine at the bus and then had time for both a shower and a bit of cross-stitching before starting my work day. My morning will include reviewing staff reported gaps in the collection, peeking at Hal Leonard's site for new sheet music, going through lists from our A/V vendor for my selection areas, and the neverending customer suggestions. I have this afternoon off for a dentist appointment - just a regular cleaning. Afterwards, Mr. Fine and I will go grocery shopping. In theory, pasta for supper tonight but Mr. Fine might switch it up as Monday's meatloaf became pasta with meat sauce.

What I'm reading: Twice in a Blue Moon continues to charm.

What we're watching: One episode of Andor and one of X-Men.

190klobrien2
Oct 26, 2022, 11:31 am

>189 MickyFine: Happy Wednesday! I want to ask, how are you enjoying Andor?

Karen O

191MickyFine
Oct 26, 2022, 11:58 am

Book 91



Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Once Bitten - Jordie Bellaire, et. al.

Spoilers for the first volume abound below.

Buffy and Willow must go on a quest for a soul stone to prevent Xander from turning into a vampire but the price that must be paid will be high, particularly for Willow. Meanwhile, Spike and Dru continue to make steps towards their goal of opening the Hellmouth.

Still continues to be a lot of fun and I'm really enjoying the arcs Bellaire is building for these characters while still having plenty of fun and action to enjoy.

Rating: ***

192MickyFine
Oct 26, 2022, 12:05 pm

>190 klobrien2: We're still one episode behind so I'm enjoying it and the special effects in episode 6 were gorgeous. That said, I'm not as invested in it as I am in The Mandalorian and if Mr. Fine weren't into it, I'm not sure it's a show I'd be watching on my own.

193klobrien2
Oct 26, 2022, 12:07 pm

>192 MickyFine: we really liked The Mandalorian, and even Boba Fett, but haven’t peeked at Andor yet. Maybe we’ll try it out this weekend. Thanks for your take on it!

Karen O

194The_Hibernator
Oct 26, 2022, 12:28 pm

Your daily updates are so much more interesting than mine, lol. I guess you put some effort into them.

195curioussquared
Oct 26, 2022, 12:32 pm

We need to get back to Andor -- we watched the first two episodes and really enjoyed it, but got distracted by Sandman and Welcome to Wrexham. I can't say if it's my favorite Star Wars show yet, but I love Diego Luna and I also love the concept of a Star Wars that doesn't have anything to do with Jedi. I always want to see more of the world!

196MickyFine
Oct 26, 2022, 2:01 pm

>193 klobrien2: A certain tiny green fella makes everything better, IMO. I wasn't a big fan of Boba Fett until it basically became extra episodes of The Mandalorian. That said, Andor might totally be your jam. There's lots of politics and heist energy at the moment, plus regular action sequences so if you like those parts of Star Wars, you'll probably like it.

>194 The_Hibernator: Snort. They feel pretty boring to me, Rachel. :)

>195 curioussquared: I did think it got way better from episode 3 on, so if you were already enjoying it, I think there's good things ahead for you, Natalie.

197MickyFine
Oct 27, 2022, 12:35 pm

What's on the agenda: Dropped off Mr. Fine at the bus this morning and then came home to deal with a bunch of hang to dry laundry I'd been ignoring since the weekend. Also had a bit of time for some cross-stitch before going on the clock. Work today will include working on a list for OverDrive/Libby, giving some feedback to a couple different departments who put together different reports for my group, a meeting with a student from the local library school to discuss my job, and the neverending customer suggestions. On my lunch break, I'll pop over to the library for the weekly pick up and drop off of things as right after work I need to drop off the car for its seasonal tire change. My Mom is kindly picking me up and I'll hang out with her for the hour or so at my parents' house until the car is ready. Costco manicotti for supper whenever I get home.

What I'm reading: Full day yesterday meant I only got one chapter of Twice in a Blue Moon completed.

What we're watching: I watched an episode of Felicity on my lunch break and in the evening it was West Wing Wednesday.

198MickyFine
Oct 28, 2022, 1:42 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: Dropped off Mr. Fine and then came back home for a shower and some cross-stitch time. Work today will be customer suggestions in all the places (OverDrive/Libby and our catalogue). That's basically all I'm planning to do on work time today, plus whatever randomness shows up in my inbox. Supper tonight is Tomato Mac soup - one of the dry soup mixes in a bag we picked up from the farmer's market a while back. It calls for adding Cheezies to the mix so it might be interesting. Then board game and/or Lego assembly for this evening's entertainment.

What I'm reading: Didn't crack a book yesterday (bad Micky).

What we're watching: One episode of Supernatural and two episodes of The Rings of Power.

199foggidawn
Oct 28, 2022, 2:44 pm

>58 MickyFine: John and I have been watching the first season of Resident Alien, and we're loving it so far! Alan Tudyk's deadpan delivery is hilarious. Thanks for the recommendation!

200richardderus
Oct 28, 2022, 2:54 pm

>198 MickyFine: Cheezies?! The Cheeto-looking orange-dusted salt bombs?! Wow, that *will* be interesting. Please, if you use them, please please take pictures & post them here!

201MickyFine
Oct 28, 2022, 3:26 pm

>199 foggidawn: Oh yay! I'm glad that recommendation is a hit. We really enjoyed it and I'm eagerly looking forward to the release of season 2 so that we can catch up. :)

>200 richardderus: Yup, those ones. I'm assuming they'll dissolve and add some interesting flavour to the soup. I promise there will be pictures and a flavour report.

202MickyFine
Oct 29, 2022, 2:23 pm

>200 richardderus: So we ended up not adding them to the soup. Even if they had been added, it probably would have been underwhelming. The soup wasn't bad but neither of us had any interest in keeping the leftovers.

203MickyFine
Oct 29, 2022, 2:35 pm

What's (been) on the agenda: Up this morning for our usual Saturday morning breakfast of eggs, turkey bacon, and toast before getting ready for church. Attended in person for the first time in a while. Went to the church that is much closer to our house and is the one I grew up attending so lots of people came to say hi. Transferring my membership back there as the long commute to the church we were attending pre-pandemic is getting to be too long. A five minute drive to church is really nice. Home for the afternoon now. My plans include reading and crafting time. This evening we're off for our monthly game night with M&A. It's technically the second this month but November is very full with birthdays for all of us so we opted to have one in late October instead. A is making some kind of soup and we're bringing chocolate covered cheesecake balls for dessert.

What I'm reading: Finally made it to the time jump in Twice in a Blue Moon. Looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

What we're playing: Didn't really play it but did open and familiarize ourselves with the rules of Obscurio last night, which we're playing for the first time tonight.

204katiekrug
Oct 29, 2022, 2:46 pm

Sounds like a nice Saturday, Micky!

205richardderus
Oct 29, 2022, 6:32 pm

>203 MickyFine: I am sure as sure can be that you're purring with satisfaction at a day well spent.

>202 MickyFine: Oh, that's disappointing. Terribly annoying, too!

*smooch*

206MickyFine
Oct 30, 2022, 10:39 am

>204 katiekrug: It was pretty much perfection.

>205 richardderus: You know me too well. *smooch*

207MickyFine
Oct 30, 2022, 10:53 am

What's on the agenda: Was awake much too early considering we went to bed around 11:30 last night. Have been keeping quiet and playing on my phone mostly as Mr. Fine is still asleep but will probably get up and breakfast shortly. Usual cleaning chores on the docket today plus month-end bill stuff. Probably crafting time this afternoon while Mr. Fine plays his new Gotham Knights video game. I also have to poke at my costume closet and see what might be an option for work tomorrow. Plus, must wrap Mr. Fine's birthday gift as that's getting super close. Supper this evening will be homemade pizza.

What I'm reading: I've got the next volume of Buffy comics sitting on top of the nightstand stack, which won't take long. After that, I think it will be Ducks by Kate Beaton, which I've been eagerly looking forward to.

What we're playing: We had an absolute blast playing Obscurio last night. I had a great time being the Grimoire, the group handily deducted who the traitor was (Mr. Fine), and we just managed to escape the library before running out of cohesion points. If you like Mysterium, highly recommend this game (I like it even more than Mysterium personally).

208curioussquared
Oct 30, 2022, 11:43 am

>207 MickyFine: Ducks is due back at the library in 4 days so it's next on my list too!

209MickyFine
Oct 31, 2022, 12:13 pm

>208 curioussquared: I'm interested to see you're reaction to it as a non-Canadian.

210MickyFine
Oct 31, 2022, 12:26 pm

What's on the agenda: Happy Halloween, friends. I'm in the office today, which means dressing up (the librarians in our department decided to do it together so no one ended up dressing up alone). I've opted for reusing my Osgood costume from a few years ago (a Doctor Who character for those who aren't super nerds). Work will mostly be customer suggestions and going through a few of the journals that have hit my desk. However, we are having a brief meeting this morning with our acting manager about the budget - it's that fun time of year where the balancing act gets extra weird. And also the time of year we wish our fiscal year did not line up with the calendar year. Supper will be either chicken stir fry or fish n chips (there was some debate this morning as an extra meal out has shaken up the meal plan. Mr. Fine will be in charge of handing out candy this evening and I'll duck out from our usual evening of Halloween-ish viewing for the hour of craft circle.

What I'm reading: Started Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands on the bus this morning and loving it.

What we're watching: A few episodes of TNG.

211MickyFine
Oct 31, 2022, 12:47 pm

Book 92



Twice in a Blue Moon - Christina Lauren

Tate Jones has spent most of her life living in a small town in Northern California with her mother and grandmother but for her eighteenth birthday, her grandmother takes her on a trip to London. There Tate meets Sam, a fellow American, and for whom she very quickly falls in love and reveals one of the biggest secrets in her life: she's Tate Butler, the daughter of a beloved Hollywood superstar who disappeared from the public eye when her parents divorced. Fourteen years later, Tate still hasn't forgiven Sam for his betrayal, even if it did indirectly lead to her own career in Hollywood. Now she's working on the film that could move her into awards contention and gives her the opportunity to work with her distant father. However, what she least expects when she arrives on set is to discover that Sam is the writer. Can Tate ever forgive Sam and will sparks fly again despite all the time that has passed?

I really enjoyed this Christina Lauren. The novel starts off with an homage to A Room with a View but this isn't a true contemporary retelling of Forster's work. Both the London section when our leads are 18 and 21, and the contemporary section are well written and Tate's life in both is fascinating to read about. If you're a fan of these authors, you're likely to enjoy this one.

Rating: ****

212curioussquared
Oct 31, 2022, 1:21 pm

>209 MickyFine: I've enjoyed Beaton's Hark a Vagrant stuff, although the Canadian history content there does tend to go a little over my head. Trying to finish one more book before moving on to Ducks but I'll let you know what I think!

>211 MickyFine: This one looks fun! Christina Lauren are hit or miss for me but I loved their newest, Something Wilder, so I'm feeling open to them right now.

213MickyFine
Oct 31, 2022, 1:47 pm

>212 curioussquared: I love her Canadian history stuff (said the former history minor). I think she does a great job of giving the context for her memoir in her first section and you'll be pleased to know there is a several maps at the front of the book, which you might also find helpful.

I hope the Christina Lauren boo is a hit and not a miss for you. I know I've liked more of their novels than you have. :)

214MickyFine
Oct 31, 2022, 1:54 pm

Book 93



Buffy the Vampire Slayer: From Beneath You - Jordie Bellaire et. al.

Buffy has gone into the Hellmouth and the Scooby gang are floundering in her absence. In particular, the men of the town seem to all be heading towards completely unhinged. When Kendra arrives in Sunnydale declaring herself the new Slayer, it sets into motion an even larger chain of events.

Continuing to really enjoy this series although I was a little surprised that Buffy doesn't appear in this quartet of issues at all. That said, plenty of groundwork is laid for what is likely to be an epic showdown.

Rating: ***

215MickyFine
Oct 31, 2022, 4:46 pm

October Summary







Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 20 (93)
Books abandoned: 1 (3)

Fiction: 18 (79)
Non-fiction: 2 (14)

Adult: 17 (81)
YA: 3 (9)
Children's: 0 (3)

Library: 10 (75)
Mine: 10 (18)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Canadian author: 1 (10)

Re-reads: 0 (6)

Female authors: 19 (74)
Male authors: 14 (33)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 3,098 (23,891)
Hours: 0 minutes (2 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes)

Average rating: 3.82

Average time to read book: 4.52 days

Favourite book(s): I really loved Adult Assembly Required.
Este tema fue continuado por MickyFine Rocks 2022, Thread 10.