Reading the Long Weekend: a Three Day Attempt to Read As Many Books As Possible

I'm about four books behind on my Goodreads goal already, though it's definitely not for lack of trying: I've started and stopped in five (!!) different books for the last month or so. They've all varied pretty significantly - Nonfiction, Mystery, Romance - so getting burnt out on one genre is not the cause, and in spinning my wheels, I'm exhausting two of my most-reliable slump-busting tricks (reread a past favorite, and pick from your reliable favorite topics). 

I have no idea what's causing this slump, nor how to fix it. Clearly, some kind of change has to be made.

It's not the first time I've been faced with such a challenge; if anything, I'm kind of an expert. In the past year, I published two of my favorite-ever posts on the subject, with a distinctly D&D lens, in the "Lawful Good" and "Chaotic Neutral" guides to reading more. 

I'm also pretty darn well-versed in regular practices to ward off slumps, by way of staging Speed-Dating rounds with my TBR shelves - which, you might remember, number into the hundreds of titles - which has been documented on my blog before, as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like not knowing what to read next is my problem... instead, it's just simply sitting down and dedicating myself to the task. 

So you might not be surprised to see me taking my own advice from 2019, and staging a bit of a read-in for one this weekend.

Why Now?

It's President's Day Weekend! The three day break from normal life is a great reason to disconnect a bit from social media, take a perspective shift from my regular day-to-day focus, and dedicate myself to getting back to the renewing hobbies that matter to me. 

There's more of a general lack of people in the house. I live at home with two parents and a younger sibling, almost all of whom are actually - somewhat miraculously - absent for bits and chunks of time this weekend, for reasons as different as wanting to catch up with work, or having musical rehearsal. I'm not begrudging any of it at all; in fact, I'm looking forward to using the silence for my best advantage.

There's also a lack of distracting events or activities taking up my time and attention. Last weekend was an absolute jam-packed social schedule, as my younger sibling was celebrating a birthday that happens to coincide with Valentine's Day, and next weekend is going to be even worse, because I actually have to spend extended periods of time away from my house. As soon as I had drawn up my schedule for February, though, I immediately penciled this weekend in for myself, and I want to make sure I'm making use of that limited down time. 

How I've Been Preparing:

Cleaning up my home spaces so that I feel like I have an easy reason to exist without getting distracted by clutter or "things I should really be doing instead." Do I still have a few things on my to-do list, to tackle before the end of the weekend? Absolutely. But now I know that my affairs are in order to complete them easily, without disrupting my flow too much. 

Picking out a stack of books that vary in size and intensity, and even format (hello, trusty Kindle!). I'm meshing these with some of the books I've been trying to read already, so with any luck, I can finish off a few of those while I'm here, too. 

Making sure the family knows. Yes, it's hardly the first time I've done a self-imposed "Readathon" weekend, so they know the drill, but then again, the last four times I've attempted to use a meditation app in this house, I've been interrupted by either someone calling my phone or kicking down my door. 

The Books I'm Reaching For:

A couple of library audiobooks. I'm still not a huge fan of audio-specific "reading" - not like my podcast-obsessed younger sibling, nor my brother, who manages to make his way through audiobooks at a truly blistering pace - but I'm getting used to it, and saw some success with listening during my last-ditch December run on my 2021 Goodreads Challenge. So, I picked out a few new reads, limited to nonfiction (particularly Food and Memoir), and low-intensity Romance. 

Foundryside, Robert Jackson Bennett

Working on a Song: the Lyrics of Hadestown, Anais Mitchell

Network Effect (the Murderbot Diaries #5), Martha Wells 

I'm also trying to wrap up a couple of recent reads that I haven't necessarily DNF'd yet, but have stalled out somewhere in the middle over. An Everlasting Meal, by Tamar Adler, is actually one of my favorite foodie reads, but one I don't feel like I can speedread, and A Murder is Announced, a classic Agatha Christie, hasn't been one of my favorites of one of my favorite authors, but I don't feel like giving up on it just yet (but if there's at least one more bizarrely stereotyped depiction of German people, I'm going to lose my mind). 

Alright, team, how many books do you think I'm going to get through? (Here's a hint: it's at LEAST one, because I managed to make my way through an audiobook just this afternoon!) Let me know, in the comments below!

Closing Up the Box: My Final Paranormal Romance Reading Update of 2021

After a year like 2020, you'd think I'd want a little respite from doom, gloom, and forces beyond human control. However, when my brother surprised me with a box of 20 backlist Paranormal Romance titles for Christmas in December 2020, it quickly became clear that 2021 was going to be filled with much of the same, only in a mass market paperback format. 

Was anyone forcing me to read all 20 in one year? Of course not. But did I pretty much immediately decide I was going to do it anyways? Oh yeah. I researched each on Goodreads, compiled a preliminary ranking of which titles I thought were going to come out on top, and strapped in for a year of attempting to cram as many of these questionable titles into my regular reading schedule as possible. 

While I didn't make it through all 20, I did try my hand at 17, and came back with results that were... mixed. Things that had compelling plot summaries and high ratings turned out to be flops, while those that came jam-packed with bananas narrative twists and head-scratching character choices ended up as my personal favorites. But even bad Romance makes for more than just an incredible Lady Gaga song. It also results in some of the funniest reviews I think I've ever written. 

But now the year is over (and we're already a month and a half into the next one). So let's wrap this challenge up for good, shall we? 

For starters, make sure you've read the previous posts first:

"My Brother Bought Me $25 Worth of Paranormal Romance" : Preliminary research and ranking

"Racist Vampires, Alien Drama, and Psychic Crystal House Explosions" : Midnight Lover, Dream Eyes, and How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days

"Celtic Rockstars, Vampiric Chosen-Ones, and Deeply Un-sexy Succubi" : Immortals: The Crossing, Touch the Dark, and My Fair Succubi

"A Summer Fling with Psychics, Werewolves, and Lots of Uncomfortable Staring" : Out of Mind, Dangerous Tides, Master of Wolves, Nico, and The Portal 

Back in January 2021, I went into this challenge with a couple of different perspectives as to how things could possibly go. On one hand, I was very aware that these were backlist titles, the furthest of which reached all the way back into the '90s and early '00s. On the other hand, you never know where your next favorite read is going to come from. I went in with tepid amounts of hope, and an overabundance of enthusiasm. 

Here's what I expected: 

• A lot of vampires. Maybe a few werewolves and ghost boyfriends thrown in for good measure, but primarily, my lens was skewing heavily in the creatures-of-the-night direction. I kind of figured it based on the impulses generated from my middle school years of desperately seeking out Amelia Atwater Rhodes and R. L. Stine novels in the teens section, not even counting the rocket success of the Twilight saga in my teenage years. In my mind, Paranormal fiction will always come wearing a cape and fangs... or at least it did, at the beginning of this adventure. 
• Kind of stereotypical or trope-heavy portrayals, things that relied heavily on conventional monster depictions and romance-novel favorites. Listen: I've only been reading hardcore romance for a couple of years now, and those kinds of preconceptions about the genre are really hard to shake... especially because, in some ways, a lot of them are true. So my expectations of the Box were that I'd find a lot of softball writers in here, kind of like trawling the boundaries of Fan Fiction, with reading expectations being met as to genre and characters off the gate, so that they could focus more on developing the Romance elements of it. Obviously, I could not have been more wrong. 

By the end of February 2021, I had finished my first couple of titles, and man was I... confused. To be fair, one of the three ended up not only being a generally positive experience, but a full-out five-star read, as well as the resulting favorite book out of the entire mix! The other two, however, were a one-star for reasons that genuinely left me angry, and a DNF, based on the sheer general inability to balance extremely heavy subject matter with increasingly frustrating lighthearted Romance content. 

As the reads went on and I started to get more of a hang for the process of completing them, I still managed to be surprised by what I was picking up: 

• For starters, the foibles I was experiencing that kept tripping me up when reading had more to do with being older Romance novels in general, rather than being bad Paranormal Romance novels in particular. Sure, racism, sexism, violence, lack of diversity and representation... all of the heavy hitters were present. But these aren't specific to the genre, but instead, things that are more in keeping with books that were published before seemingly obvious designations of "how people like to be treated" had been established in the public mindset. On the flip side, the more recently published content was much more diligent about that sort of thing, which is something very in keeping with today's Romance market. 
• That being said, there were more recent books included in the box than I would have expected... to a point. Like I said, '90s and '00s Romance abounded, but there were also plenty from the later half of the '00s, too, as well as into even the late '10s. I really was able to appreciate the scope of the content, especially when connected to the variety I was experiencing in subgenre and plot contrivances, too. 

FINAL STATS

Books Read Cover-to-Cover: 8! 

Star Count:

1 star: 3

2 star: 3

3 star: none

4 star: 1 - Dangerous Tides

5 star: 1 - Dream Eyes 

Books DNF'd: 9

Shortest DNF:10.75% - Pg 40 of 372 (The Summoning)

Longest DNF: 45.57% - Pg 194 out of 294 (Master of Wolves)

Books Not Attempted: 3

After a while, reading so many similarly-shaped and somewhat interchangeable books made for some surprising trend recognition, and notable questions answered about the genre itself. Remember, I'm new-ish to Romance, so stepping full-out into the Paranormal category was a pretty significant experience for me. 

As a new entry into the field, here's some of what I noticed, within this particularly narrow sample size: 

• There were a LOT more psychics than I would have anticipated! Remember when I said I was banking on vampires? As it turns out, from this limited pool, I found a lot less than I had originally planned for, which was both good and bad... on one hand, it kept me from getting burnt out on one kind of read too hard, but on the other, by the end of the year, I was actually really wishing I could have sunk my teeth into a more recognizable story format. 
• And also aliens?? If there was anything else I should have anticipated, it was for things to venture a little beyond the lines of what my typical designations of "Paranormal" are. For instance, in any other form of fiction, I would have assumed Aliens automatically meant SciFi. However, within the Romance genre, Paranormal seems to kind of serve as a general catch-all for other forms of Genre fiction, like SF and Fantasy, too. 
• Plenty of stories featured inter-dimensional travel, and were not restricted to the earthly plane... in fact, a lot of these books had some form of tie to another plane of existence, be it distant planets, or depictions of Heaven and Hell. Occasionally, it was pretty fun: I can gladly get on board with a Fae realm, or a Demonic plane. It was just went things went a little too far around the bend - with multiple interactive groups occupying different dimensions of existence, or versions of religious levels strained past credulity - that I started to lose the plot. 
• In terms of relationship dynamics, it was pretty much exclusively alpha male heroes, with varying degrees of self-motivation from the heroines... and involving very strange relationship dynamics that I cannot imagine being suffered with much patience here on Earth. Again, maybe this is owed more to the time periods being published, but man. Get a grip on yourselves, heroes, instead of maintaining such a hard grip on the arms of your heroines. 

And yeah, honestly, some of the stuff I saw was pretty disappointing. After all, you've seen the stats, and after a while, you know what kinds of faith I had in the books I was reading (which is honestly probably why I got burnt out on the challenge shortly after the end of summer, despite still having plenty of potential months left of reading in front of me). 

But this isn't even just about the questionable content, but also, the writing direction. SO many books with over-exposition, or an overabundance of plot detail attempting to cover up threadbare and inconsequential characterizations. Powers that were quickly learned and abandoned, depending on the necessity of the scene, and dialogue that barely followed any form of coherent sense. Can you really blame me for wishing for something greater?

This also helped really cement the perspectives I had on things I did like. I DID like a few of these books, after all... and the reasons I appreciated them ended up having quite a few elements in common. Here's what I wish I saw from more of the books I read:

• I mean, besides less racism, sexism, and violence, and more diversity and representation? Because honestly, that was a real big one. Thankfully, the current trends in Romance publishing seem to veer more in this direction, but it certainly makes me more nervous to try out backlist titles. 
• Larger casts of characters, with separate and recognizable personalities: in truth, three of the books I ended up mostly enjoying, Dangerous Tides, Dream Eyes, and Out of Mind, all fit this bill! Big ol' magical families, with every kid possessing new and exciting powers, all coming complete with their own matching romantic counterpart... I mean, it makes more sense, from a publishing perspective, to handle it this way, so why not try harder to build a cohesive, fascinating cast?
• Leaning into exploring previously-known powers, rather than focusing on a novice learning a new skill set. At the beginning of this challenge, I remember actually being pretty stoked that so many of the titles were among the first in their series, because I thought that would help me identify more of a feel for what kinds of story they were. But all told, that didn't necessarily make for compelling content: I could have just as easily jumped into the ride while the engine was already running, and not missed much. 
• Less religion, honestly. I wonder if this is more of a time-period-of-publishing thing, or if its more of a genre issue, but there was A LOT of angels-and-demons content, in some ways that were slightly more sacrilegious than others. Don't get me wrong, I can handle, but honestly? My Fair Succubi was definitely pushing it past my limit... and Servant: the Acceptance was a little too Old Testament in its depictions of violence for my tastes. Neither of these - nor Minion, either, which faces off God-blessed vamp hunters against two different levels of bloodsuckers - are reads I would have ever picked out on my own dime. 

THE FINAL RANKING

(Minor point of clarification: switch The Portal and The Empath... no idea how I mixed those two covers up, but they should be flip-flopped, so that the relatively boring and unoffensive werewolfy Empath is in the topmost row, while the high-key racist-towards-Native-Americans Portal is in the second row, next to uses-the-n-word-with-so-little-rationalization Midnight Lover. There's also some debate raging in my head as to whether bad-cop-portraying Master of Wolves belongs so high in this list in comparison to weirdly-religious Servant and high-key homophobic Minion, but I'm keeping it where it stands for now.)

But now this is finally a chapter I can close! Believe it or not, but beyond one single Sarah MacLean book, these were the only Romances I read in the entirety of 2021, and by the end of things, I was really missing out on my Historical and Contemporary faves. Still, I was glad to have partaken in the self-inflicted challenge. 

Here's what I took away from the experience: 

• Again, I read two books I really, really liked! Dangerous Tides is one that I now actively search for on Romance shelves, in the hopes of finding out more about these incredibly gifted sisters and their unique counterparts, while Dream Eyes is definitely going to maintain a home among my shelves, for any future date when I might need to turn my brain back to a slightly-more-willing-to-participate-in-shenanigans mode. 
• I deep-read a genre I haven't ever had cause to interact with before. Like I said, still new-ish to Romance, and haven't had much luck with Paranormal since high school. Diving back into the deep end, with both feet first, made for an interesting reacclimation, real fast. 
• I had a project... and I LOVE a good project. Truly, I am nothing if I don't have something fun - like an embroidery project, or a cookbook deep dive - to focus on in those quiet moments between actual daily tasks. This not only made for plenty of self-motivated fun, but also made me into a truly formidable point of conversation at parties (After a few meetings with friends began with a "You'll never guess what I'm reading right now," the tide started to turn towards them asking me "So what's going on in the latest novel?"). 
• I posted a good handful of blogposts that I wouldn't have written otherwise. And I know for a fact, based on the reactions of my friends who follow me on Goodreads, that the reviews were appreciated, too! I maintain that negative reviews are more fun to read - and honestly, write - and this entire process was an experience in that arena alone. 
• Now my brother has to read the Dealer's Choice. At the very top of the Challenge, my brother actually even floated the idea that whatever ended up being my favorite of the whole messy bunch, he'd voluntarily pick up, too. As of two days ago, he's deep into the middle of Dream Eyes, and from what I can tell, loving every second of it. Maybe I can convince him to write a review, too? 

What do you think... should my kid brother write his own Romance review, too? Are you going to miss this Challenge? Let me know, in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Date this Valentine's Day

"Top Ten Tuesday" is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

The next week of my life is an incredibly busy one, in a way that is not entirely my fault. 

You see, the root of my problem lies in the conspiration of two people: my younger sibling, who arrived on this earth on Valentine's Day 22 years ago, and my mother, for being the one who brought them here. Then I can't very well take umbrage against the Catholic calendar, for placing this year's Mardi Gras celebration on the day following, as they got here first. But then, of course, rounding out the mix, my best friend happens to be celebrating her birthday only two days later. I mean, what's with all of these people I love, choosing such inconvenient times to have been born, and excellent reasons to celebrate, all arriving together at once! 

So you might understand how, between all of those activities and expectations, I have no idea how I am supposed to find the time to plan for Valentine's Day. Granted, there's no significant other in this mix, but I was fully anticipating spending the day at home with the person cat I love most of the whole world. Now what am I supposed to do, with such limited time?

If you're like me, and need a little help putting any Valentine's Day plans to good use, here are a couple of books to pick up to make sure the day is a super-sweet one!

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid

It's one of the most-recommended reads out on the Internet, but it's earned the title for good reason: this immediately engrossing fictional saga of one starlet's many suitors hearkens back to the glamour of Old Hollywood, with a modern mindset. It's got its twists and turns, and is definitely known to invoke a tear or two. The perfect Valentine's read for an afternoon spent at your favorite coffee shop. Who knows what sort of person you'll meet there!

2. Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America, R. Eric Thomas

One of my favorite reads of 2021, this memoir will remind you about the importance of falling in love with yourself before you fall in love with anyone else. Thomas' love story with his husband might have been one of my favorite parts of this book, but his perspectives on everything from race and religion, to learning how to navigate a difficult world while being true to the complexities of you, make him an incredible storyteller. Perfect to read in between rounds of sending a valentine or two, in the form of donations to your favorite local charities. Nonprofits needs some lovin', too!

3. The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller

Another oft-recommended favorite of social media, and another one ready to send you spiraling into a puddle of soft pillows for a good cry. Unlike Evelyn, this fictional exploration of the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles is best consumed indoors, lest your tearful visage startles other civilians. Cuddle up with an extra-soft blanket and get ready for some catharsis. 

4. Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik

It's an unconventional choice on this menu, despite the fact that not one, but TWO romances factor heavily into its plot. But they're never the focus: instead, a panel of incredible female heroines plunge the story along, through an effortless and lyrical Fantasy tale inspired by Jewish folklore and the story of "Rumpelstiltskin." Grab a gaggle of gal pals and host a reading party, complete with plenty of chocolate, in honor of this bevy of badass ladies. 

5. Garden Spells, Sarah Addison Allen

Magical Realism abounds in this story about the importance of family and food, and the surprises that may await you when reconnecting with your roots... both in the sisterly sense, and the vegetable kind. The story features its own kinds of lovebirds, but what you'll really walk away hungry for, is all of the delicious eats mentioned throughout its pages, and the powers they hold. Schedule yourself a reservation at that restaurant you've been dying to try, and take this read as your date!

6. In Other Lands, Sarah Rees Brennan

YA and Coming-of-Age might not seem like entirely normal romantically-minded fare for the average adult palate, but it's the different kinds of love reflected within its pages that count the most, including friendships, relationships, and family, but more specifically, the kinds of family you choose for yourself. Fall in love with the fish-out-of-water Elliot as he tries to make sense of a Fantasy realm he's stumbled into, and spend some time enjoying the fresh air outside on a nice long walk: there's a whole world still waiting for you to explore, Valentine. 

7. Brooklyn, Colm Toibon

Sometimes, you need to carve out a little piece of the Universe for yourself, before you decide on the kinds of people you want to fill it with. This well-loved romantic pick - about a young woman's journey from Ireland to America and back, and the people who make each place feel like home - also doubles up as an incredibly excellent movie, which makes it the perfect choice for a viewing party with that person you've been meaning to call back. 

8. Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure, Amy Kaufman

Sure, love is in the air, but you know what? Sometimes, it stinks. And when as many red roses and fantasy suite cards go into the production of it as on ABC's The Bachelor, something's going to end up smelling a little off. Kaufman's nonfiction breakdown of the show's sordid history, complex production, and past contestants is a must-read for fans of the franchise. This Valentine's Day, save your good bottle of red for a Tuesday night instead, and get to sipping with this quick read. (It's not like anyone's watching Clayton's season, anyways.) 

9. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Sure, reading P&P while contemplating a day of romance alone seems a little trite by this point, but it's called a classic for a reason! Spend a little bit of solo time perusing this well-tread romance, and take some other classic actions for yourself while you're at it: pull together a tray of sweets, turn up some background music, and snag some pretty flowers for your favorite vase. You'll be perfectly at your leisure for any gentlemen callers who might stop by... you'd never know who might be ready with a surprise proposal, DESPITE how annoying your mother is at parties. 

10. A Very Punchable Face, Colin Jost 

At the end of the day, aren't we all just looking to spend our Valentine's Day with someone with a cool job, reliable source of income, and a great smile, who can really tickle your funny bone? SNL head writer Jost is here to fit the bill, as his hilarious and unexpectedly heartwarming memoir reminds you that such good catches are still out there. (They may be out there getting caught by the likes of Scarlett Johansson, but still.) Laugh the day away with the audiobook, narrated by the hunk himself, while giving your house a much needed tidy: time flies when you're having fun, and even if you're the only one sliding between your sheets tonight, it's nicer when they're freshly laundered. You'll find your Valentine in no time at all, and when you do, you'll have a clean house and smile on your face at the ready!

What's in YOUR Top Ten? (And what are you doing for Valentine's Day next week?) Let me know, in the comments below!