@mouse Wait that's so funny, does she really? I might have to read it just for that.
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I'm trying to read for fun more often, like I did when I was younger. I don't know exactly why I stopped, since I usually liked the books I read in English class, but oh well. I still know I love reading, but there's a weird mental block that I'm still trying to puzzle out. Wish me luck?
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Beetle's books
2025 Reading Goal
80% complete! Beetle has read 8 of 10 books.
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Beetle finished reading Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #2)
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #2)
It has a dark past—one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen …
Beetle finished reading Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #3)
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #3)
Sci-fi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is back on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more …
Beetle finished reading Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
Murderbot wasn't programmed to care. So, its decision to help the only human who ever showed it respect must be …
Beetle reviewed Myth by Terese Mason Pierre
Myth, the much-anticipated debut collection from the multi-talented Terese Mason Pierre, weaves between worlds (‘real’ …
So good!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 stars
Terese was at an author panel with another author I like, and I'm very glad I picked up her work as well! I don't usually gravitate towards poetry, but something about the fantasy elements she was talking about really resonated with me as a fantasy lover, and the poems she chose to read excerpts from had such vivid imagery.
I loved the grounded experiences of the POV characters in these poems as well as the whimsical elements of each one! The poems are organized into parts based on the rough setting, so some are air, some are earth, others are rivers or the sea, et cetera. This was the perfect way to organize them, IMO, it fits so well for such a fantastical poetry collection.
Beetle finished reading Myth by Terese Mason Pierre
Myth, the much-anticipated debut collection from the multi-talented Terese Mason Pierre, weaves between worlds (‘real’ …
This was so good!
Beetle wants to read Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price
From social psychologist Dr. Devon Price, a conversational, stirring call to “a better, more human …
It'll be nice to have some proof that I'm not just a broken person. Everyone say "thank you, Puritans!". I said it with a huge eye-roll, by the way.
Beetle wants to read Operation Paperclip by Annie Jacobsen
Details how the U.S. government embarked on a covert operation to recruit and employ Nazi …
This'll be a tough read. Yeah. I'm so glad I'm Canadian. Not that our country hasn't done anything terrible, it definitely has. I'm just glad this isn't one of the things.
Beetle finished reading Wild Life by Amanda Leduc
In 19th-century Scotland, young Josiah is banished by his father for seeing the divine in …
Content warning Discusses the main antagonistic group (a cult) in most points, but stays vague for the sake of not spoiling it too much or making people queasy.
CW: Discussions of cults and cult tactics. I'll try to keep it brief.
I finished the book earlier this month, and went to an author panel with my mom, where we had it signed! As much as I loved it, I'm not comfortable leaving a review yet, because this is the first book I've read that has such a realistic depiction of cults, despite being speculative fiction. It was nothing like the Satanic Panic thought they were, that's for sure. At some points, it made me very uncomfortable, which is exactly what it was supposed to do, but it did prevent me from fully engaging with the book on my first read-through.
Now that I know it doesn't pull any punches, I'm definitely going to reread it at some point so I can understand the book better. One of the book's strongest points was its characters, and I can't wait to see them all again. Barbara, Kendrith, and Lizzie are forever in my heart.
Beetle set a goal to read 10 books in 2025
Beetle reviewed Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote
Distant Yet Familiar
5 stars
Ivan's experiences don't 100% line up with mine, but how could they? Everyone's gender journeys are different, and despite our differences, Ivan Coyote's willingness to talk about their experiences resonated deeply, and helped me understand myself a bit better. It also contains helpful diagrams for all sorts of tomboy-related things, which funnily enough, brought me back to my time in Girl Guides and Pathfinders when we were learning to tie different kinds of knots.
Beetle wants to read Gender Failure by Ivan E. Coyote
So looking forward to reading this :)
Beetle finished reading Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote
Reading this felt super familiar at times, so I think I may have read it when my mom checked it out of the library? Either way it's a fantastic read, although somewhat heavy.
Beetle reviewed All Systems Red by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)
A murderous android discovers itself in All Systems Red, a tense science fiction adventure …
Just finished!
5 stars
Content warning Vague spoilers involving Murderbot's character arc.
I loved the funny, witty inner voice of Murderbot, and I also love that it chose the name based on the coolness factor and not because it actually likes to murder. My mom has been bugging me to read this book for years, and I'm so glad I finally listened and read the first installment. I love how Murderbot grew to trust and care about the humans they were reporting to. 10/10, can't wait to read the next one.
Beetle reviewed I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle
Dragons are common in the backwater kingdom of Bellemontagne, coming in sizes from mouselike vermin …
Really good! Would read again.
4 stars
I don't wanna spoil anything since the book hasn't been out long, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely reread at some point! My only complaint is that it isn't The Last Unicorn, but not many books can live up to that one, for me. Not even books by the same author. And if given the opportunity, I would love for my next partner to be like Robert Thrax.
The one thing I will say is that, like The Last Unicorn, this story makes a clear distinction between what the characters want, or think they want, and what they truly need. I've always loved that about Peter S. Beagle's work.