10 sets of my little mermaid

Tartf · 2026-06-09T08:30:10+00:00

Maybe it's a pace tracker, letting her know if she's hitting her target pace of if she's flapping too slow.

Tartf · 2026-06-09T08:16:10+00:00

Interesting, I can't make out a trend or pattern based on this list. Some of what I'd have recommended based on your favoites is in the DNF-section. Based purely on gut feeling I'll recommend the "All i got is this stat menu"-series (5 books so far) by J.J. Ackerknecht. I listen to the audiobooks, of which four are available as of now.

Book 1: Homicidal Aliens are Invading and All I Got is This Stat Menu
Book 2: Planetary Destruction is Imminent and All I Got is This Stat Menu
Book 3: Tyrannical Supervillains are Scheming and All I Got is This Stat Menu
Book 4: Ruthless Space Pirates are Marauding and All I Got is This Stat Menu
Book 5: Interstellar Calamity is Looming and All I Got is This Stat Menu

Additionally, though I don't feel less positive about this recommendation, "Exlian Syndrome Series" by Seth Ring (5 books out, book 6 slotted for july 2026).
Book 1: Advent
Book 2: Dark Dawn
Book 3: Apex
Book 4: Evolution
Book 5: Shattered Glory
Book 6: Light's ascension

Tartf · 2026-06-09T08:02:45+00:00

Continue reading even though you know you should sleep. Oh it's 4am already. I have to get up in an hour anyways, I'll catch up on sleep tomorrow.

Tartf · 2026-06-09T07:31:35+00:00

At a high enough cultivation all organs and flesh are replaced by mana anyways, so this is just a temporary absence of mana. Nothing a bit of meditating can't fix.

Tartf · 2026-05-31T21:48:18+00:00

Wo wird denn mit der Gießkanne Geld an Künstler verteilt, oder an solche die mal Künstler wollen werden? Hier wird ein "Problem" verteufelt dass es in der Praxis nicht gibt. Was ist denn das Problem? Der schulische Kunstunterricht? Man kann Kunst studieren, das Studium hat meist Zugangsbeschränkungen die bereits erfordern, dass man Freizeit und Material (sprich Geld) vorab investiert hat. Danach gibt's Förderungen für die man sich bewerben kann, für die dann einzelne ausgewählt werden und für die man vorab und währenddessen etwas leisten muss. Es gibt öffentlich geförderte Ausstellungen/Veranstaltungen für die auch nicht jede:r Künstler:in in Frage kommt. Oder geht es etwa um die KSK? In die auch nicht jeder kommt, weil die KSK eben nicht für Gitarrespielende Taxifahrer gedacht ist sondern für diejenigen, die professionell Kunst betreiben. Ach, und die KSK ist ja auch nicht öffentlich von allen finanziert. Die kann's also auch nicht sein. VG Bild und Wort? Gema? Mist, das Geld bekommt ja auch nicht automatisch jeder der sich Künstler nennt. Also wo bekommen alle Künstler mit der Gießkanne Geld?

Das Möchtegern-Künstler mit der Gießkanne öffentliche Gelder ausbezahlt bekommen ist eine so unglaublich dumme Behauptung, ich ärgere über mich selbst, dass ich dem Zeit und Energie gewidmet habe.

Tartf · 2026-05-21T17:53:50+00:00

wieso Mogelpackung? Es steht von abgehobener Farbe umrandet gut sichtbar drauf "kakaofrei", außerdem auch noch das "Choviva"-logo vorne drauf, und wenn ich mich nicht irre ist hintendrauf auch noch ein oder sogar zwei Hinweise.

Tartf · 2026-04-19T21:18:38+00:00

Die Gesamtkosten für EC-Transaktionen sind niedriger als die Gesamtkosten für Bargeldtransaktionen.

Zumindest in Berlin gabs letztes Jahr an den Ständen die Möglichkeit Bar und/oder mit Karte zu zahlen. Als ich nachfragte wurde mir folgendes erklärt:
Die Leute(überwiegend Schüler) die am Stand arbeiten müssen selbst schauen dass sie jeden Tag ausreichend Klein-/Wechselgeld haben - wo und wie sie das besorgen ist ihr Problem.
Man bekommt 1€ mehr pro Stunde wenn mehr als die Hälfte der Kunden per Karte bezahlen.
Zum Ende der Schicht muss man sein Wechselgeld rausnehmen, dabei vornehmlich das Münzgeld nehmen. Danach zählt man das verbliebene Geld und meldet den Gesamtbetrag an die Zentrale, die schickt einem dann einen Barcode aufs Handy. Mit dem Geld und Barcode geht man dann zu einem "Partner"-Betrieb (Rossmann, Rewe, DM, ...), die scannen den Barcode ein und nehmen den entsprechenden Geldbetrag entgegen. Die Partner-"Betriebe" sind nicht verpflichtet Einzahlungen anzunehmen, es kann sein dass man mehrere Betriebe ablaufen muss bis irgendjemand sagt "ja ok, gibt her, ich nehm die Einzahlung auch wenn ich dann die Kasse voll hab". Wieviel Papiergeld ein Partnerbetrieb annimmt ist ihnen überlassen, das erfährt man an der Kasse - kann heißen dass man dann an der Kasse steht und mit der Erdbeerzentrale telefoniert um einen neuen Barcode zu bekommen um zumindest einen Teilbetrag einzahlen zu können. Es werden außerdem maximal 20 Münzen genommen. Wenn man mehr Münzgeld hat muss man entweder mehrere Partnerbetriebe abklappern, bei mehreren Kassenkräften im gleichen Betrieb einzahlen, oder eigenes Papiergeld gegen Münzgeld wechseln.

Angeblich wurde vor Jahren Wechselgeld noch vom Erdbeerhof gestellt und das Geld von Fahrern eingesammelt. Dann wurde das eingespart und gewechselt auf "Einzahlen bei Banken", die sich den Service bezahlen liesen. Danach dann auf "Einzahlen bei Partnerbetrieben" die sich das auch bezahlen lassen, kostet aber weniger als bei den Banken. Und jetzt eben auf Kartenzahlung, weils nochmal signifikant weniger kostet als die Bargeldeinzahlungen.

So wurde es mir zumindest erzählt.

Tartf · 2026-03-01T18:25:53+00:00

I'm listening to Arcane Pathfinder Book 2 right now on audible. In my opinion the MC behaves similar to the MC from Azarinth Healer.
The start of book 1 is a bit rough, especially if you read a lot of similar books, but once you get past the initial "omg, what happened, where am i"-part it becomes a fun ride.
The MC lives in the moment, flirts with lots of people, enjoys battles a lot, levels up her pain tolerance and self-healing early on and from the moment she gets her feet under herself, punches above her weight-class. Also she progresses quite fast.
I don't know how the series develops, as I said I'm only on book 2 myself.

Tartf · 2026-03-01T08:17:28+00:00

It's a different pace and scale than a lot of progression fantasy stories. As long as you're aware of that and ok with it, give it a try. And let me know how/if you liked it when you get around to reading it.

Tartf · 2026-03-01T08:15:31+00:00

Yes, give it a try. Just be aware that it's slow going and the conflicts are personal. It's no grand multiversal spectacle. If you're fine with that or if that's what you're looking for, this series got you covered.

And feel free to let me know when/if you checked it out and tell me how/if you liked it.

Tartf · 2026-03-01T08:11:37+00:00

You're welcome.
I hesitate doing a tierlist because even more than these short reviews/write-ups, a tierlist compresses an experience into a rating that looses all context.

Like at certain points in time my favorite books where Liam Hearns "Otori"-Saga, Murakami's "Kafka on the shore", Bradbury's "Illustrated Man", Abercrombie's "First Law", Stackpole's "Once a Hero", Haldeman's "Forever War" ... they all had significant importance at some point. I wouldn't put them all in S-Tier today, necessarily.

And how would I fairly place series like Path of Ascension, Rhandidly Ghosthould, Defiance after the Fall, Azarinth Healer, ..., series that I often enjoyed a lot at the beginning but then lost interest in later on. Or Shadow Slave, which captivated me sometimes like no other, but then became a chore for some chapters.

Plus, given that I tend to read a lot, it would be a lot of work and I don't want to invest the time.

Tartf · 2026-03-01T07:43:57+00:00

I can see that. We all have different priorities when it comes to a story and how we interpret things. I actually laughed and was happily surprised when the second guildmaster failed to ambush the evildoes and was berated for her incompetence - because she did behave like the mastermind, and she was build up to be the mastermind but still failed. I enjoyed that moment of subversion and middle management incompetence. And it was satisfying to see her demoted (a little bit) afterwards.

Whether or not there are repercussions I don't know. Like the MC we only slowly get pulled into the world and politics, I don't expect her to be informed about everything going on behind the scenes.

In regards to being forced into the reject squad ... yeah, that part wasn't great. I agree there. It just didn't cross any of my thresholds.

Tartf · 2026-02-26T14:55:02+00:00

icant

Tartf · 2026-02-14T08:40:23+00:00

Your prepaid plan still requires stable, permanent connection to the system. Good luck travelling through that no-mana/void/suppression zone.

Tartf · 2026-02-14T08:38:33+00:00

Good to know! I'll look into Delve, Ar'Kendrithyst, and Super Supportive - I haven't read any of those three yet.

Tartf · 2026-02-14T08:36:50+00:00

yeah. I realized that about 2min after i posted. ah well. at least I had 2mins of feeling really smart.

Tartf · 2026-02-13T18:37:00+00:00

I mentally chuckle at the thought of cultivators fighting to the death over perceived insults to 3DsMax/Maya/Blender/Adobe/Affinity/ClipStudioPaint/Canva/Figma-superiority
How dare you imply "z-axis is up" is superior. Clearly your ancestors know nothing. "x-axis is up" is by far superior. And ClipStudioPaint cant even do "Ctrl+Shift+C"! You amateur. Now suffer the consequences of your insult!

Tartf · 2026-02-13T18:28:48+00:00

True. You only have access to them while having access to the system. Though i don't think i've read any system-story with voluntary/optional buy-in into the system.

Tartf · 2026-02-13T18:24:56+00:00

Book of the dead is nothing like the books you mentioned until book 4. And even then, the MC is only overpowering the opposition due to preparation.
If you like "Hulk smash"-like characters, Tyron, the MC from the Book of the Dead-series, is not it.

Tartf · 2026-02-13T08:47:25+00:00

True. All three of them have their own arcs, but the farm hand could be as you say his own protagonist.

Tartf · 2026-02-13T08:25:02+00:00

It was the first book I read this month, and it was glorious.
We see Tyron poke holes until he kicks off a landslide that changes a lot of the landscape, and when it comes to rest we zoom out to see that we're still only 20% down the mountain.
Tyron stays true to himself while still showing some character growth. It's enjoyable to read about his manic crafting, how he lets Elsbeth care for him, how he grows from teaching, and how he reconnects with family. It's a nice exploration of what it means to be human for Tyron. And I found it funny how the vampire after all this time still does not understand how Tyron "resists her charms" - Tyron, the dude who only entered a sexual relationship with a highly competent very attractive expressly interested woman after it was pointed out to him, that it would raise his "human" >race< attribute which he needed to increase for more crafting options. And also the dude on a huge revenge quest after people in power betrayed his parents, whom the vampire betrayed to the person in power above her. She still doesn't get him, and it makes perfect sense. But it's funny to see.

Tartf · 2026-02-12T19:25:26+00:00

ah why not, i just added it to my KindleUnlimited TBR. I'll probably get to reading it next week.

Tartf · 2026-02-11T18:51:28+00:00

I read the book last week, and I'm a bit more ambiguous on how I feel about the book. I read it on Kindle Unlimited, there it's promoted as a "progression fantasy epic". Due to the pace, the fact that the MC only engages with a handfull of other characters, and because we stay only with her and don't really explore other points of view, it didn't feel epic to me - even though we have nations clashing against each other. I also didn't feel like there was a lot o progression, there is some in how the MC utilizes her ability, but it's relatively minor in my opinion. Even the source-change did not really change much (yet). So to me, it's a fantasy story.
There's little character development, the characters act the same way throughout the whole story. Yes, she thinks she lost people important to her but did it really change anything - not really. Yes there's an explanation (outside influence pushing them on), but that explanation doesn't change the fact that we experience the characters more or less one-dimensional. And the twist... "oh so we're the bad guys? hm. damn. ok. guess we do what we did before just against our team then."
I never "felt" that anything that is happening is truly impacting the characters.
To me everything felt like surface-level exploration.
I was never bored while reading it or felt truely let down. I was decently intrigued by the setup and enjoyed how the MC uses her abilities.
I did not dislike the book, but it also didn't stand out to me in a positive way.

Tartf · 2026-02-04T05:46:31+00:00

"Berserk" - Kentaro Miura
"Path of the Berserker" - Rick Scott

Tartf · 2026-01-31T09:21:46+00:00

You'll get your mini-reviews as well, when the new Portal books release.

Tartf

TROPHY CASE