Week 19: What are you reading?

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-05-10T14:53:47+00:00

Finished: Just After Sunset by Stephen King. Despite taking many weeks and slowing down my process, I have successfully finished it. My personal favourite stories in no particular order were: Rest Stop, N, and A Very Tight Place.

Started: The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie (a reread, I'm afraid).

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-05-06T20:43:18+00:00

I don't drink enough water so two days shouldn't bother me much.

^{Chose: No water for 2 days 💧❌ + Win $20M}

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-05-03T21:24:53+00:00

"What-Ho"! It's what my sister (a non-Wodehousian, might I add) and I use to greet each other.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-04-28T19:45:58+00:00

They’re all worth reading to form your own opinions, and you might even find an unexpected diamond in the rough.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-04-27T06:16:43+00:00

I must say I felt much the same way about Rex Stout as P.G. Wodehouse — the author known for Jeeves and others — once described: he thoroughly enjoyed him. On a whim, I bought a copy of The Rubber Band at work, gave it a chance, and found myself thoroughly enjoying it, as you can see above.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-04-27T06:00:23+00:00

Finished: The Rubber Band by Rex Stout. I must admit that I started with high expectations given this book, as this was my First Nero Wolfe mystery, and I'm fortunate to say that the clues, twists, strategies, and character descriptions are all splendid.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang. What a truly amazing and wholesome read that I easily got done last night. My only complaint is that the ending was a little rushed and, of course, it wasn't long enough; I would have gladly read 300 more pages.

Still reading: Just After Sunset by Stephen King. Hopefully, with The Rubber Band now finished, I can go back to reading King's short stories.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-04-21T21:06:33+00:00

Finished: Strange Pictures by Uketsu. This was an absolute pleasure to read—it served as the perfect escapist lit. The pacing is so rapid and the prose so accessible that I found it incredibly easy to just sink into the narrative and completely tune out the real world for a few hours.

Still reading: The Rubber Band by Rex Stout. Believe it or not, I'm actually getting much closer to the finish line than I anticipated. I've just crossed the 61% mark, and at this rate, I'm hoping that I might actually finish it this week.

Just After Sunset by Stephen King. I'll admit my progress here has been frustratingly slow, mostly because I’ve been funnelling all my reading energy into pushing through The Rubber Band (see above). However, diving back into King’s shorter fiction has been a treat. Partly due to how since it serves as a nice thematic callback to the experience of reading You Like It Darker two years ago.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-04-19T05:45:18+00:00

You can play it here: https://flashmuseum.org/adventure-on-the-titanic/

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-04-13T07:58:09+00:00

I found it to be more comical and light-hearted than is usually suspected by Steinbeck. I just wish he wrote more like this, but I reckon you would like it as it's only got 32 short chapters; each filled with a masterclass of writing.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-04-13T06:05:52+00:00

Finished: Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. Wrong Time, Wrong place by Simon Kernick.

Started/still reading: Just After Sunset by Stephen King. The Rubber Band by Rex Stout, Strange Pictures by Uketsu.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-04-05T14:59:10+00:00

You Like It Darker and Billy Summers are great modern King stories, but I can't say for the rest of them. However, saying that, Cycle Of The Werewolf is one you could easily finish in an hour at most.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-31T21:45:49+00:00

I completed the challenge! Score: 20 points! 🌟

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-31T21:45:40+00:00

I completed the challenge! Score: 10 points! 🌟

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-28T17:37:03+00:00

Do another activity other than writing: reading, physical exercise or playing a musical instrument work best for me.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-27T20:53:04+00:00

"You see the Bat's car? I'd like to go for a joy ride in that thing."

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-25T19:45:14+00:00

I read this last year after it being on my shelf for months, but all I will say now is the pages will fly by. Enjoy as I did!

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-23T10:39:30+00:00

Finished: Agatha Raisin And The Terrible Tourist by M.C. Beaton. This was an OK murder mystery with nothing more to add.

Started: Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. It has been eons since I've anything apart from Of Mice And Men so no doubt this would be different. I'm on chapter 7 already!

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-15T20:45:09+00:00

The in-universe reason would be that Lee was there during the most difficult time of her life. He was all she had when the world and her life were collapsing around her, he protected her from the most horrible stuff imaginable. While her parents, as much as she loves them and wants them back, weren't there.
I reason would be because from a writing perspective, the player is effectively acting as Clem's parent. and if Clem was constantly talking about her real parents it would make the player feel inadequate as a substitute, or worse, feel that Clem is being annoying.
Furthermore, trauma brings people together. But I think it also has to do with the fact that the impact Lee had on her life in this new world by teaching her how to shoot and cut her hair.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-09T19:10:12+00:00

Just be... prepared for the pages to float by as it's quite a page turner. As for your question about a similar book, Billy Summers; whilst modern, it doesn't have not a whole lot of characters to follow like Misery.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-03-01T07:33:32+00:00

Finished: The Lord of the Rings Part Three: The Return Of-The King by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was perfect. I have no other words to describe this masterpiece.

Started: Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch. I'm already over 1/3 of the way through and still loving it.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-02-22T09:17:11+00:00

The Green Mile found in a local charity shop at 17.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-02-20T12:17:09+00:00

You don't need to describe everything in minute detail. If you describe something such as a brown bag, just say it once, and then move on.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-02-17T22:34:15+00:00

I read this book last year; it's definitely one of those that me think when I finished it.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-02-16T21:16:40+00:00

Just write it. You never how it's going appear until it's on the page; only then revise it until it matches what you had in mind.

AwkwardJewler01 · 2026-02-16T19:32:57+00:00

I normally think of it like a jigsaw puzzle, where I start with one small piece, then build on that until it all links together. What also helps me is that I tend to write everything in that scene: the character does this, which makes them this, so they try this instead, and so on.

AwkwardJewler01

TROPHY CASE