Jess Mahler (Book Talk) @jessmahler@booktoot.club

I'm also getting increasingly out of patience with the way Bankole treats Olamina.

Part of it is knowing that I would make the same choice she did--not the Earthseed stuff, but getting somewhere remote and starting my own community as separate from the rest of the world-gone-to-hell as possible.

But most of it is just that he's being a verbally abusive and controlling asshole. And in a very similar way to what my mother used to pull.

Realized this morning is one of my real problems with this book is the narrators constant hints about everything ends badly for the protagonist.

I generally need happy endings to my books. Reading it part of my self care, it helps me relax and let go of my obsessive negative thoughts for a while. But constantly being reminded of the protagonist gets a bad ending has me tense and stressing, waiting for the shoe to drop.

Probably going to have time/matches for #sffbookclub in July. Can someone tell me what the book is?

One of these days I want to see a REAL reverse harem, where the woman is in control. Tired of these "reverse harems" with one woman being controleld and used by several men.

(I have seen one book with an actual reverse harem. It wasn't described as a reverse harem, and the story ended with the princess becoming a slave to her former harem...)

Finally picked up Parable of the Talents again. I don't know why I had so much trouble getting into it last time, maybe just the mental space I was in or maybe difficulty getting used to the format, but got sucked right in this time.

I'm kind of surprised, because it's difficult for me to read things outside my comfort zone right now. Massive burnout does that to me. But really enjoying the story and looking forward to seeing what happens.

So, I've been meaning to get a couple books in Spanish to practice with.

I got an Amazon gift card today. Just hopped on to see what was available in Spanish on Kindle.

Turns out, at least two series I lost when we became homeless are not just available in ebook, but one Kindle unlimited (the spanish versions--the english I'd still need to pay for.)

*rubs hands gleefully*

Rereading the recent #books in the Honor Harrington series.

My first read through of anything semi-decent I tend to get caught up in the story, so my later read throughs are a lot more critical.

The Universe Spanning, centuries long conspiracy isn't working for me. I'm a firm believer that "two can keep a secret if one of them are dead." The idea that this conspiracy could run so long and no one have a clue? Not buying it.

*sigh* but I like the characters
#sff

I'm really looking forward to being fluent enough in Spanish to read novels. I'm very curious about what tropes are common in Spanish language SFF and romance that might be different from common English language tropes.

I wrote a thing about some books that have been really important to me.

"Miles Vorkosigan Is my Role Model (or How I Horrified Lois McMaster Bujold)"

https://jessmahler.com/miles-vorkosigan-horrified-lois-bujold/

#sff

This was the wrong book for me to read tonight. Tomorrow it probably would have been fine, but I spent this afternoon in therapy working thirough feelings about walking away from my family and stuff.

I'm glad Binti heard back from her mom at the end. I hope it was a happy message. #sffbookclub

Set asie 7 Habit of Highly Effective People for a while to continue with Love's Not Color Blind.

Highly recommend this book for anyone involved in #polyamory. No, it isn't a "polyamory 101" book. It's a "here is a major problem in our community and here is how we can fix it" book.

Was really hoping to get a physical copy of #Binti but it's a week+ wait for the library to request it from another location and I can't justify spending nearly 3 times the ebook cost on a paperback.

So I'll be grabbing the ebook later tonight.

#sffbookclub

Starting Burn Bright by Patty Briggs, sequel to Dead Heat.
#fantasy #werewolf

Read when it came out a week ago, but since I just read the prior book...
Also it's something to read until I get my hands on #Binti for #sffbookclub

Finished Dead Heat last night. One of my fave of Patty Brigg's books. Good #werewolf read.

How does a 30 YEAR OLD BOOK have awesome ideas I have NEVER SEEN BEFORE, and why are all the more recent self-help stuff I've seen repeating the same advice this guy used as building blocks to something new decades ago?

I think the thing I hate most about this book is it's actually going to make my life better.... *sigh*

And it's just... it's this beautiful idea that lets you clearly see how your important to-dos tie into your personal priorities AND better schedule them AT THE SAME TIME.

That I've never seen before. Embedded in this assholery

Like, I am not a fan of #selfhelp books because I've spent so long trying to find good stuff. I will, everytime, click a "7 things you can do to organize your life" or "4 habits of successful CEOs" hoping to find just one new idea to add to my repertoire.

After almost an entire chapter of stuff on personal mission statements and how to use an urgent/important chart to prioritize your to-dos, and other stuff I've read a N+1 times, until I figured I'd finish the chapter and be done, there is nothing new here...

He digs into prioritizing quadrant II of the urgent/important diagram, proposes organizing important to-dos based on life roles (bc it influences scheduling, some parent stuff can only be odne when the kids are home,)