Laurel County Public Library discussion

My bookstagram following has grown a bit this week, I've made more bookish friends, started a buddy read with a couple of friends, tried a new recipe for dinner that I really loved, enjoyed adorable moments with my furbabies, and got my car serviced so that it stays in good condition and safe on the road. I've been trying to romanticize even the most mundane of moments...like the raindrops against a window, the first sip of your morning coffee, the coziness of reading a book in bed burrowed in blankets.

QOTD: Do you have any fun, exciting plans this weekend? Cozy, bookish plans?

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Do you have any fun, exciting plans this weekend? Cozy, bookish plans?"

I work this weekend, but I do want to read more in House of Stone by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma.

QOTD: What is something you're obsessed with at the moment?

I recently tried a new coffee creamer and it has became a favorite! It's Chobani white chocolate mocha creamer. If you're a coffee drinker and haven't tried it, I highly recommend it. When I make an iced latte at home I will add some of this creamer, oatmilk, sweet cream cold foam and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

Also, I'm pretty obsessed with checkered print right now, especially black and white - but also brown and cream, and sage green and cream are really pretty.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What is something you're obsessed with at the moment?"

All I've been doing the last few weeks is crocheting lol. I'm pretty obsessed with that at the moment.

I can't really think of anything else.

QOTD: Talk About It Tuesday – What's something you're passionate about and could talk forever about?

QOTD: What's Up Wednesday – Mid-Week Check-In
What are you currently reading? Listening to? Watching? Playing? Creating?

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Talk About It Tuesday – What's something you're passionate about and could talk forever about?"

Other than books and my Kindle it would probably be video games, movies and TV shows, writing/journaling, creative projects like with graphic design and digital art, music (punk rock specifically), and fall (especially spooky season). But books absolutely!

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What's Up Wednesday – Mid-Week Check-In
What are you currently reading? Listening to? Watching? Playing? Creating?"

For my mid-week check-in:
Currently reading – Whispers of the Deep on my Kindle
Listening to – These Precious Days: Essays on audio via Libby
Watching – Not currently watching anything. I'm probably gonna start watching my Fall and Halloween movies and shows soon though. I've been watching TikTok videos and some YouTube videos.
Playing – Haven't played anything for a bit. The last thing I played was Stardew Valley on my Nintendo Switch.
Creating – I'm not currently creating anything. The last thing I created was a Kindle insert for my Kindle, and that was about a week ago. I haven't been writing recently, which I need to get back into.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What's Up Wednesday – Mid-Week Check-In
What are you currently reading? Listening to? Watching? Playing? Creating?"

I'm currently reading Johnny Got His Gone by Dalton Trumbo, House of Stone by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma, and The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James.

I mainly watch YouTube, and I've been watching a lot of gaming VODs that some of my favorite streamers put on YouTube. There are a few movies I want to watch (maybe this weekend).

A friend and I have been playing a game called Chained Together. It's really hard but a lot of fun!

I'm working on a crochet project.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What's Up Wednesday – Mid-Week Check-In
What are you currently reading? Listening to? Watching? Playing? Creating?"

Currently reading - Dead Lions by Mick Herron
Listening to - Bob Seger
Watching - Charmed
Playing - Sherlock Hidden Object
Creating - A new home. (House on market. Preparing to move.)

Currently reading: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson
Listening to- Zach Bryan
Watching: One Tree Hill
Playing: Tiki Solitaire
Creating: Nothing at the moment.

QOTD: Share your rating process/scale.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Share your rating process/scale."

5 stars: Exceptional. Something special to me about the story.
4 stars: Very good.
3 stars: Average. Good. Worth reading.
2 stars. I do not recommend.
1 star: Never should have been published.

My ratings are how I feel about the book. I don't know enough about writing styles or character development to rate them.

QOTD: Do you have any fun, exciting plans this weekend? Cozy, bookish plans?

I'm hoping to get some reading done but I don't have any certain plans. May try to go through my shelves and get rid of some books I no longer want.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Share your rating process/scale."

5 stars: A new favorite read.
4 stars: It was great but something about it didn't resonate.
3 stars: It was fine.
2 stars: Mostly didn't like it but something about it let me push through and finish it.
1 star: Hated it.
unrated: Mainly used for nonfiction or books that I read and didn't fully understand.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Do you have any fun, exciting plans this weekend? Cozy, bookish plans?"

No plans.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Do you have any fun, exciting plans this weekend? Cozy, bookish plans?"

Movies tonight to see Twisters again, dinner with a few friends, that's it!

edit: I'm gonna attempt annotating a cheap copy of Emma I found, so that's exciting me a little bit lol

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Share your rating process/scale."

5 Stars: Exceptional in every way, evoked a lot of emotions, un-put-down-able!
4: Stars: Great, solid book. Worth reading, but no resonating emotions or perhaps didn't connect with any of the characters.
3: It had great elements, okay characters, but the execution of the plot lacked, and fell flat for me.
2: Terrible plot, no characterization, poor dialogue.
1: A monkey with a keyboard could probably write better.

QOTD: Mondays are for fresh starts. What is your #1 goal for the week?

I would say my top goal for the week is to figure out a new weekly routine to implement.

My goal for this week is to start utilizing my evening hours to get some household chores done throughout the week. Currently everything is put off to the weekend and then its a rush to get everything completed by Monday.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Mondays are for fresh starts. What is your #1 goal for the week?"

Go to bed at a decent time. My sleep schedule is garbage right now.

QOTD: Tuesday Tunes – What are you listening to today?

I've not really been listening to much music recently. I've been listening to audiobooks. I finished These Precious Days: Essays on audio yesterday and started Until I Get You back on audio where I left off previously. When I am listening to music, I've been blasting Blink-182 because I'm super excited for the concert. Also, I've been listening to the I2I song from A Goofy Movie that Magnolia Park collabed with Disney on. It's so good!

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Tuesday Tunes – What are you listening to today?"

i was listening to watch me bleed by tears for fears right before i came into work and it's probably gonna be stuck in my head all day lol

Listened to Elton John and Depeche Mode while walking this morning.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Tuesday Tunes – What are you listening to today?"

I was listening to Whitney Houston and some Red Hot Chili Peppers before coming into work.

QOTD: What are you trying to finish today before July is over? (This can be books or projects, etc.)

I don't know that I'll finish A Court of Mist and Fury by midnight, but I'd like to. Aside from books, I'd like to get my reading journal updated and get a spread ready for August. I'd also like to get a list of August hopefuls together.

Trying to finish Dead Lions. It will be close.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What are you trying to finish today before July is over? (This can be books or projects, etc.)"

I'm not really trying to finish anything.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What are you trying to finish today before July is over? (This can be books or projects, etc.)"

Didn't try to finish anything...but started embroidery and book annotating.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: Tuesday Tunes – What are you listening to today?"

Been listening to a lot of Folklore and Evermore

QOTD: What's on your August TBR?

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What's on your August TBR?"

TBR - August

Continuing from July
- Dead Lions by Mick Herron
- Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
- First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

Planned
- Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
- This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart
- The Teacher by Freida McFadden
- Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart
- Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
- My Name Is Anton by Catherine Ryan Hyde
- I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
- The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman
- Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
- If It Bleeds by Stephen King
- Fangs by Sarah Andersen

Maybe
- Holly by Stephen King
- Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse by Lee Goldberg
- Big Sky by Kate Atkinson
- Back to School Murder by Leslie Meier
- The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
- The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine

Oh my!!!! Once again, way too many books.
...

I can never stick to a TBR, so here's my list of August hopefuls:
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Until I Get You by Claire Contreras
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight
Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What's on your August TBR?"

The Wall by Marlen Haushofer
Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas by Machado de Assis
The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett
Hombrecito by Santiago Jose Sanchez

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What's on your August TBR?"

I can't ever really stick to a TBR so I'll just say i'd like to finish reading/annotating my copy of Emma by Jane Austen, and I'd like to get my hands on The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: What's on your August TBR?"

i have no idea really, but i'm honestly only in the mood for non-fiction right now. that may change, but i have a feeling i'll be reading a lot of non-fiction this month.

QOTD: How many books did you read last month? What were your favorite and least favorite reads?

I finished four books last month (and started others that I didn't finish yet). My favorite read of July was The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, and my least favorite was These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett.

I read 4 books in July.

Favorite: Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo

Least favorite: The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

.
.
Read: 13

Favorite: How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy

Least favorite: Told by Starlight in Chad by Joseph Brahim Seid

I read 4 books in July.

Favorite: The Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen

Least favorite: The Castle Caper: A Cozy Mystery by Kathi Daley

Debra Diggs wrote: ".
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Read: 13

Favorite: How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy

Least favorite: Told by Starlight in Chad"

Oh no, I was going to read Told by Starlight in Chad. What was wrong with it, if you don't mind me asking?

Vivian wrote: "Debra Diggs wrote: ".
.
Read: 13

Favorite: How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy

Least favorite: Told by Starlight in Chad"

Oh no, I was go..."


Told by Starlight in Chad was not my cup of tea. Some of the fables were just awful (but not all). One fable ended with an abused child staying with her awful step mother. The moral seemed to be, just be a good child because that is all that matters. The better stories could not make up for the bad ones

Good luck with it, Vivian. Other readers enjoyed it much more than I did.

LCPL wrote: "QOTD: How many books did you read last month? What were your favorite and least favorite reads?"

just 2 lol. favorite was i was a teenage slasher by stephen graham jones. least favorite was fire exit by morgan talty.