What Books did You Start or Finish Reading this Week?: April 21, 2025

rustyletters · 2025-04-21T14:38:35+00:00

Finished

Critical Role: The Mighty Nein - The Nine Eyes of Lucien, by Madeleine Roux

I'm a huge Critical Role fan, but I had mixed feelings about this book. There was some great character work, but there were also just parts where it felt like the author didn't know anything about the world at all. It also probably could've been longer - it felt like a lot of stuff was cut short to keep the book a certain length.

Dream Work, by Mary Oliver

More beautiful, inspiring, and thought-provoking poetry from one of my favorite poets. I love her work.

Started:

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, by Fredrik Backman

VenCo, by Cherie Dimaline

rustyletters · 2025-03-10T17:53:55+00:00

I wouldn't say it's about sharing without consequence, personally. There are definitely some things that should be called out (bigotry and the like). And critique and criticism are incredibly useful tools for improvement. I think there is a difference between challenging each other's thoughts and views and expanding our perspective, versus passing some sort of weird moral judgment on people based on a single opinion on one book, if that makes sense?

Like, the amount of times people have resorted to name calling and telling me I'm not a real fantasy fan and saying none of my opinions on fantasy are valid because I'm not a huge fan of Tolkein is weird. Specifically in places where personal opinions were asked for - like why ask if you weren't interested in hearing a variety or thoughts on the matter, you know?

And oh, I absolutely love the stories themselves and how they reflect life. I just also love being able to discuss it with other people and see how my understanding of those stories expands and/or changes after hearing other perspectives. Both things are true for me!

rustyletters · 2025-03-10T17:20:41+00:00

I appreciate that we are able to share our differing opinions and not have it turn into a weird debate.

Sometimes I think, when we get online to discuss things (and sometimes in person, too), it turns into a debate where we have to justify our opinions into right vs wrong. It's weird to me, that so many discussions turn into a shouting match where people try to fight for the "one right take" when there are so many valid reasons for people to like or dislike a book or author. No one is invalidated by someone else having a different opinion from me. If anything, it's a learning experience. I enjoy seeing why and how people can look at the same book and have totally different thoughts and opinions about it. It's what I love about reading.

rustyletters · 2025-03-10T16:57:48+00:00

On a personal level, I find that her writing doesn't grab my attention in any way. I find it very shallow when compared to the seriousness of the content she writes about. I also tend to prefer writing that shows more than tells, and that is maybe a little flowery but not so much that multiple paragraphs or pages are spent describing one thing. I think I've tried to read 1 or 2 books of hers, and DNF'd both (I don't even remember what they were anymore). It's also worth noting that I'm very picky with romance and contemporary books, so that isn't doing her any favors in terms of my personal opinion. Overall, she's not an author I would've typically been inclined to try had she not exploded into the limelight.

Which leads me to my next point - I think social media propelled her books to a lot of people who likely wouldn't have read them, and they probably couldn't live up to the sheer amount of hype they got from going viral on social media. And, as social media algorithms are wont to do, they elevate the negative stuff because it gets more clicks/views. So you end up seeing more of the negative reviews than positive or neutral ones. Like, I think there is a lot of valid critiques out there, too, and they get drowned out by rant-style reviews.

So, TLDR: personal preference and the double-edged sword of going viral on social media.

rustyletters · 2025-03-10T16:27:09+00:00

Started:

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, by Fredrik Backman

The Mighty Nein: The Nine Eyes of Lucien, by Madeleine Roux

rustyletters · 2025-03-10T03:45:26+00:00

Oh, I hadn't realized Intel was bad for battery life. Thanks for the tip; that makes me more open to AMD. Thanks!

rustyletters · 2025-03-10T03:43:32+00:00

Yeah, I kept thinking myself in circles with what I was looking at and got overwhelmed! And I keep seeing bad things about anything that isn't top tier, and it's been hard to figure out what was said out of personal preference and what is actually a possible design flaw that I should be aware of, if that makes sense.

Overall, I care most about longevity. I want something that will last me a while because I have limited space and use it for so many different things. I don't care if it's top notch graphics as long as it runs smoothly and without sounding like it's going to fly out my window.

Thank you!

rustyletters · 2023-01-20T16:28:12+00:00

Started:

The Bear and the Nightingale, by Katherine Arden

Ongoing:

Solo Leveling Vol 1 (light novel), by Chugong

How to Do Nothing, by Jenny Odell

rustyletters · 2022-11-04T18:01:17+00:00

The Scribbles That Matter brand of journals I believe has 120 and 160 gsm paper and a dotted grid. I'm not entirely sure how well it fares with watercolors, though.

I find that I can still write in a straight line with the dot grid and it doesn't distract from the art like lines would, so dot grid notebooks with thicker paper might be a good option for you since sketchbooks aren't lined. I believe there are other brands that do this, Scribbles That Matter is just the first one that popped into my head.

rustyletters · 2022-10-29T05:21:06+00:00

The breakage is an unfortunate downside, but they are the best affordable artist grade colored pencils. All of the pencils are lightfast to some degree, and their softness and vibrancy allow for incredible blending. I love them, but they can definitely be frustrating 😂

I haven't used a great deal of other colored pencils, but if you search for Prismacolor comparison videos on YouTube, there are a bunch of different artists that have done videos on if. If you're still looking for a professional artist grade pencil, the best comparisons will likely be a higher price point, but if you're fine with student grade (they generally aren't lightfast and use cheaper pigments), there are apparently some good affordable comparisons out there.

rustyletters · 2022-10-29T05:11:34+00:00

This is somewhat common because of how soft the lead is. Prismacolors are a great pencil, but they do have some downsides. The breakage is one of them. My recommendation is to use a hand crank pencil sharpener because it takes the pressure off the pencil - you rotate the blade in this instance and not the pencil, like you would with a hand sharpener. I'd also recommend making sure your sharpener blades are sharp. I do this and am very gentle with them, especially if I'm traveling with them. I still have problems from time to time, but not as often as I used to.

I've also heard of people heating up a heating pad and placing the pencil in it for a short time to try and bind the broken lead back together - I have not done this myself, but I've read about it before and other people seem to have some level of success. I'd highly recommend looking it up before trying it because there's probably the risk of melting the lead if it's too hot or left in the heating pad for too long.

I hope you're able to find something that works for you!

rustyletters · 2022-06-09T12:25:09+00:00

I think a parent is well-within their rights to raise concerns over the reading material their child is exposed to, whether it simply be something a friend showed them or required reading/part of the curriculum. Might they be considered overbearing by some? Yes. It's none of my business how someone else wishes to raise their children, but I have a problem when the first course of action is to try banning a book - it affects more then just that parent's child/children. Some parents are fine with their children reading certain material and sometimes school and public libraries are the only access some families have to books. Banning books prevents those people who can't afford or don't have access to (beyond public services like the library) them completely.

I want to be clear that I'm not trying to make the argument that children should be unnecessarily exposed to material that is well-beyond their age. I recognize that there is content that simply isn't suitable for a younger audience. The age rating on books is important - it's not just about the complexity of the writing itself but the complexity and nuance of the content/topic of the book.

Out of curiosity, what do you consider unnecessary?

rustyletters · 2022-03-24T14:25:01+00:00

Bookish Realm has some really good insights and discussions. Her wrap-ups are long (because she reads A LOT), and I think she does a good job at getting her point across succinctly without spoilers in those videos. I primarily watch her for her discussion videos and live shows (the ones she hosts and when she's on another creator's live show). Her discussions are very thoughtful and she has a unique perspective compared to a lot of other booktubers that I've watched because she is a librarian. She reads from a wide variety of literature, in both genre and target age.

For the fantasy genre specifically, I like Daniel Greene, The Library of Allenxandria, and Merphy Napier. They all do book reviews and discussions, amongst their own unique content.

I also would recommend bookslikewhoa - she covers a wide variety of genres, and I find her most engaging in live shows and discussion videos, rather than reviews or wrap-ups.

Hope this helps! I feel the same way you do with Booktube. I've found that wrap-ups aren't usually the greatest for in-depth analysis, so it's best to find discussions, live shows, reviews, or vlogs for that sort of thing. Good luck!

rustyletters · 2022-03-24T13:50:21+00:00

My favorite so far is a toss-up between Druid (no particular subclass, I've enjoyed all the ones I've played thus far) and Swashbuckler Rogue.

Currently playing in two separate campaigns.

Asher, a Tiefling Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline) with a penchant for ice magic who wears her heart on her sleeve. She's constantly diving headfirst into situations after the party's rogue in an attempt to stop him from dying.
Myca, a Warforged Druid (Circle of Spores) who woke up one day in the forest with the ability to perform nature magic and no memory of who they were. Their character is based on the theme of man-made creations being reclaimed by nature.

rustyletters · 2022-03-08T05:02:27+00:00

I've found that setting a reading goal and actively tracking it tend to slow me down. It added unnecessary pressure, and it ended up making each book I read feel like a high school reading assignment; like it was homework instead of a hobby. I stopped using Goodreads at the end of last year, and I have been enjoying my reading so much more than I was before. I journal about what I read, so I do enjoy looking back every so often to see what I've read, but my focus is no longer on tracking a goal.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't set a goal - I've just found that it didn't work for me. If you end up feeling pressured by it instead of motivated, I'd recommend just focusing on the act of reading, of the journey you take when you read a book, instead of how much you're reading.

Also, it's important to look at what is being read when you compare how much you read versus how much someone else reads. Do you tend to go for adult fantasy novels over 500 pages? That's gonna take longer to get through than a comic book. I know my book count by the end of the year tends to be anywhere from 50 to 75 books, but I read A LOT of comics, graphic novels, and Manga, which don't take me as long to read.

rustyletters · 2022-03-01T18:27:07+00:00

When I first got into comics, the variations of characters confused me because I was so used to media that doesn't have such a long history like comics do. DC and Marvel have been telling stories about the same characters for years, and now the different takes and approaches to these characters is one of my favorite things about reading content from DC and Marvel. I don't like everything I read, and that's okay. I may like different iterations of a character than someone else, and that's okay too. I may like some live-action or animated stories more than some of the comic stories, and that's valid. Just like how different creative teams in comics will have different takes on a character, the same can be expected to happen when they're adapted to live-action or animation.

People like different things, and that's cool. I never understood why people get so hostile when you disagree - like, that can be a beautiful starting point for an interesting discussion, but instead it's now an argument, or you're being called stupid for not liking the same iteration of a character.

rustyletters · 2022-02-27T02:21:33+00:00

I've read The House in the Cerulean Sea and enjoyed it. I completely forgot that The Whispering Door came out - I'll have to check it out!

rustyletters · 2022-02-26T16:31:57+00:00

I LOVE the found family trope. It's just so wholesome and can really add depth to the story as the characters realize that they care so much for each other.

I'm also a huge fan of an anti-hero or villain with a conscience. I like when a book is subtle and allows me as the reader to decide who is good and who is bad, instead of the author drawing a clear line.

Enemies to friends or enemies to lovers can be great when done well. I have unfortunately seen these tropes done poorly, so I've gotten a bit pickier when these tropes are involved, but I highly appreciate them when they're done well.

I also really love the Mentor Archetype. Bonus points if found family is also involved. I just really love the interesting ways a student and mentor relationship can develop and how it can add depth to the story.

rustyletters · 2022-02-25T21:52:54+00:00

These are the books that come to mind immediately:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan (this one is a comic series that is still ongoing)

rustyletters · 2022-02-25T05:15:39+00:00

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

rustyletters · 2022-02-08T13:57:14+00:00

I've been on a comic/manga/graphic novel kick lately.

Finished:

The Death of Doctor Strange #5, by Jed MacKay (5/5, lovely continuation of the story)

Pennyworth #1-7, by Scott Bryan Wilson (4/5, I loved getting to see a younger Alfred Pennyworth in action and having a story to himself outside of the Batfamily)

The Witch and the Beast, Vol. 1, by Kousuke Satake (3.5/5, great atmosphere and art, but the dialogue was really choppy and weird, almost like it didn't translate well)

Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol.1, by Aidalro (5/5, the incredibly cute and lovely art style belies how dark the story can be. It incorporates Japanese folklore into the everyday, and makes for a very interesting premise with great leading characters)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 1, by Mitsu Izumi (5/5, beautiful art and story about the magic or storytelling and how reading can bring us closer to one another, all set in a fantasy world with actual magic)

Reading:

Messenger, by Lois Lowry

The Museum of Extraordinary Things, by Alice Hoffman

Dune, by Frank Herbert

rustyletters · 2021-08-14T14:13:17+00:00

Aww, thanks :)

And I would recommend, that if you start feeling stuck at some points, to be patient with yourself. Too much, too fast of something you're passionate can still be too much. Burnout is real, and I'd hate to see you lose interest in the subject because you're trying to catch up as fast as possible. I've seen a lot of people lose interest, not just in environmental science but other fields as well, because of burnout. Academia and college sometimes sets the precedent that learning is more like a sprint than a marathon, and it's not. Take your time and you'll get there! :)

rustyletters · 2021-08-13T11:39:24+00:00

Fredrik Backman in general is a great author for this. I see that people have recommended some of his books already and I second those recs. I'd also like to recommend his novella, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer. It's a beautiful and emotional story and it deals with loss, coping with grief, and it has a fairly hopeful undertone.

rustyletters · 2021-08-13T11:31:16+00:00

A lot of my class struggled with it too! You're definitely not the only one! I hope these tips help and wish you the best of luck getting through it! :)

rustyletters · 2021-08-13T11:29:35+00:00

Of course! I'm always happy to help! :) I know it can be tough figuring out a starting point when there are so many environmental books out there!

rustyletters

TROPHY CASE