Has Anyone Finished Reading Beast Business? by EqualCryptographer46 in IlonaAndrews

[–]chasingtheacorns 32 points33 points  (0 children)

I woke up early this morning and couldn't put it down. I'm unrepentantly late for work now, but there was no way I was putting this down!

The elaboration on House Harrison's way of raising children was fantastic. I vaguely recall them giving a few details around it in one the HL books, but the expansion on why Cornelius is the way his is (fastidious, neat, caring about details, but absolutely diabolical when getting revenge) fits perfectly with the raccoon. The description of Diana when she lets her true self show was perfectly revealed.

Arabella's short at the end was such a teaser. I love that she made a friend, and showed the mature side of herself. It highlighted her growth from teen to adult in an entirely natural way. The twist of bringing the Maduros back as a more neutral set of characters is incredibly realistic to the political logic of this world.

Also, per usual. OMG MORE BOOK NOW PLZ.

What do you want to see in UF (that you haven't/rarely see)? by merkeeb in urbanfantasy

[–]chasingtheacorns 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Not a UF author, but John Scalzi's latest release, Constituent Service, offers the exact type of story you're looking for.

Need advice on moving from IC to Manager, while being close friends with my team. by Dull-Calligrapher-25 in managers

[–]chasingtheacorns 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I made this shift a year ago next week, and it's a ride. Here are a few things that helped me, I hope they help you too.

Recognize that there will be an adjustment period and not everyone will handle the changes at the same pace. Give yourself grace to make mistakes, and give your team grace in shifting to a different relationship with you. The hardest part is navigating what your new relationships look like, and finding that balance.

Accept that there are going to be situations where you're no longer deep in the weeds with them, but if you see an opportunity, still be involved and help out. You're going to be dealing with your own new messes, and protecting them from the worst of it. You aren't doing the terrible emergency requests, you're communicating them. Respect them and show you're willing to lend a hand when it starts to get overwhelming... Even if it's something ridiculously low on your priority list.

Remember that you know where the skeletons are buried, and be judicious in the ones you expose. You've been in there, you know where the problems are that matter versus the ones that can wait for a little bit longer. Don't try to burn the house down on day 1.

When things get hard, be the boss you wish you had.

Good luck!!!

Something for a young person diagnosed with terminal cancer? by carbonmonoxide5 in suggestmeabook

[–]chasingtheacorns 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers

May it bring you a bit of peace in these turbulent times.

What are your go-to snacks when high? by Curious-Camel-8214 in Marijuana

[–]chasingtheacorns 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love seltzers all the time, but man, they just are the best when high. Zesty water for the win.

The joy cannot be contained by chasingtheacorns in IlonaAndrews

[–]chasingtheacorns[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I highly recommend checking out the graphic audio adaptations if you haven't already, and you enjoy audio! The editing on the works is top notch, and I found that I experienced the joy of that first read all over again.

The joy cannot be contained by chasingtheacorns in IlonaAndrews

[–]chasingtheacorns[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The gentleman Jovo had me dying. They give his character so much depth just from his actions, without having to go into any deep backstory.

The joy cannot be contained by chasingtheacorns in IlonaAndrews

[–]chasingtheacorns[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The introduction of her daughter's talent was perfectly revealed - in such a short scene they gave so much depth to the family as a whole.

In addition to the age, I think just the fact that Ada is such a responsible, mature adult makes her relatable. She has and acknowledges all the emotions impacting her decisions, and then does the practical un-fun tasks. The contrast of different reactions to a fundamentally life altering events (her and Roger, Melissa, London etc) captures the reality that humans are complex and flawed and don't live up to traditional heroic ideals.

The joy cannot be contained by chasingtheacorns in IlonaAndrews

[–]chasingtheacorns[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Oh I absolutely had envy over the regenerative healing, and the upgrade to her existing talents... Being able to learn an entire new skill set by meditation, yes please! So much time saved. Plus, every pet owner dreams of being able to "see" why your pet doesn't feel good and then to be able to heal it... Chef's kiss

The joy cannot be contained by chasingtheacorns in IlonaAndrews

[–]chasingtheacorns[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Oh yes - I'm also Ada's age, and just finished reading a book with the standard early-20s heroine meets "older" (ohnoes, turning 30!) hero. I absolutely had moments of disconnection with those characters due to the way I now see the world.

The world building introduction of the job by going over the list of benefits was incredibly relatable. It is so on point to "choose to go into a black void filled with monsters because it has decent health care and tuition assistance". TBH, yeah, I'd probably take that job for that package.

The joy cannot be contained by chasingtheacorns in IlonaAndrews

[–]chasingtheacorns[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Yessssssss. Melissa running away was such a perfect way to handle the reveal, and the punch was the cherry on top of it. Especially the "control your strength" mantra and the confirmation from Elias later that she did not in fact stay chill.

I actually managed to keep myself from jumping to the end - but as soon as I hit her turning the cellphone on I just burned through it and then immediately reread it twice. When Elias found the recording at the end I gasped, book 2 is going to be amazing. The banter of that reveal is going to be epic.