#Cath Crawley

[darienlibrary]

Back at it again with a booklist.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series. First the perfect books, then the incredible Netflix adaptation??? My heart basically belongs to Laura Jean. Anyway, as much as I’d love to, one can’t only read the love story of PK & LJ on repeat... so here are some read alikes! (plus, if your library has a TAtBILB waitlist these will tide you over!)

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crawley

Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberly & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Happy Reading! 

[ladyherenya]

Books read in November

I like it when I read a bunch of books with similar-coloured covers in a row . I love it when those covers are all blue.

This was another successful month of reading, including three YA short story collections, two graphic novels and one audiobook (and all the rest).

I’ve asterisked my favourites.

(My longer reviews and ratings are on LibraryThing. And also my Dreamwidth blog.)

Almost Midnight: two festive stories by Rainbow Rowell, illustrated by Simini Blocker: This is super cute. Delightful. “Midnights” is about Mags and Noel over several years of New Year’s Eve parties. I liked how Rowell-ish the story is, and loved the illustrations. They brought the characters to life and gave the story a really strong sense of place. “Kindred Spirits” is about being a Star Wars fan. Elena camps outside the cinema in the days before The Force Awakens’s release, and the experience is not what she expects. This story is geeky, delightful and surprising.. My only disappointment is that there’s no more about these characters.

My True Love Gave to Me: twelve winter romances edited by Stephanie Perkins: After I read “Midnights”, I borrowed the anthology in which first appeared. I’m not a fan of the whole cheesy, commercial idea of Christmas and winter - but I enjoyed these stories more than I expected. They present different experiences of, and attitudes towards, the holiday season. My favourites included Kelly Link’s “The Lady and the Fox”, Stephanie Perkins’ “It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown”, and Gayle Forman’s “What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?” I really liked Myra McEntire’s “Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus” and Ally Carter’s “Star of Bethlehem” and liked Lainie Taylor’s “The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer” for its prose.

Summer Days & Summer Nights: twelve summer romances edited by Stephanie Perkins: I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the winter anthology. But I liked that Perkins’ “In Ninety Minutes, Turn North” was a sequel to her story from the previous anthology. That was unexpected and delightful - and the story itself was one of my favourites. My other favourites were “Inertia” by Veronica Roth and “A Thousand Ways This Could All Go Wrong” by Jennifer E. Smith. And I liked how “The End of Love” by Nina LaCour unfolded, and the way time repeated in “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things” by Lev Grossman.

The Prisoner of Limnos: a novella in the World of the Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold:  No way was I waiting for the audiobook! This is both a standalone adventure and the third installment of a larger story, following on from Penric’s Mission and Mira’s Last Dance. It’s an interesting case of themes and variations. Another member of Nikys’s family requires rescue, and although the circumstances are different, the politics behind it are not (Her brother has enemies in high places). Penric takes inspiration from Desdemona for another disguise. Nikys is given another example of people whose relationships are successful despite being unconventionally complicated. It’s a much better place to leave everyone than Mira’s Last Dance.

* Shattered Warrior by Sharon Shinn, illustrated by Molly Knox Ostertag (graphic novel):  I’m not really a graphic novel person so I wasn’t excited until I saw the artwork. Colleen’s planet has been invaded by aliens, society and infrastructure have crumbled and her family are dead or missing. I loved the worldbuilding, how expressive everyone’s faces are and how the pictures tell the story. I really liked the balance between action and emotion - this is as much about the choices and connections Colleen makes as it’s about how she rebels. I also appreciated that darker aspects are not ignored but neither are they allowed to dominate. This is a story about hope.

The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag (graphic novel): In Aster's family, girls become witches and boys become shapeshifters. Everyone discourages Aster’s interest in witchery but he keeps learning in secret. A solid, diverse story about being different and finding acceptance. I'd have stronger feelings about it if the artwork’s aesthetic had appealed to me more. I didn’t dislike it - I loved Ostertag’s illustrations for Shattered Warrior and it’s only the colour palette (and worldbuilding) that’s different here - but I didn’t love it, either? Graphic novels are not my preferred mode of storytelling, so maybe I’m just not very interested if I don’t love the artwork...

A College of Magics by Caroline Stevermer: I've wanted to read this ever since I read the companion novel/sequel years ago. In hindsight, taking so long to find this was actually a good thing, because I couldn’t remember anything remotely spoiler-ish. And I wasn’t disappointed by how much of it is about Faris after she leaves college. This is a mystery about magic and a coming-of-age story about responsibility. It is vivid and poignant and there’s something really lovely about it. I enjoyed the parts about college life, and Faris’ friend Jane is an utter delight. I’m so pleased I finally got to read this.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon: Two Indian-American teenagers meet at a summer app-development convention. Their meeting is arranged by their parents, but while Rishi believes Dimple has agreed to meet him, to see if they’d suit, Dimple is unaware of their parents’ plans. I enjoyed this, but not as much as I was expecting to. All the comments I’d seen suggested this was funny. And it wasn’t. It was still entertaining and likeable, I just didn’t find it humorous. Because humour is subjective, I guess. Also, I wished there was less focus on the romance - or rather, more focus on other parts of the story.

Provenance by Ann Leckie: Leckie’s new story is about family - the things people do for them and the things people do to get away from them. There were a lot of things I liked. Characters, scenes, ideas. There were moments that made me laugh or took me took me by surprise. I also like how Leckie presents elements of her worldbuilding and leaves the reader to put the pieces together. However I found I had to concentrate extra hard to follow what was going on, and, although I liked them, I didn't feel strongly about the characters. I was expecting that I'd care more...

* Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis (narrated by Nadia May): The Cupid and Psyche myth, from the perspective of Psyche’s older sister, surpassed my expectations. It is surprising, powerful and occasionally heartbreaking. Orual is fierce in love and anger and her relationships are complex, often more so than is first apparent. She’s not so much an unreliable narrator as a biased one, which I found really interesting. Also interesting is all the ways in which she does not conform to conventional ideas of womanhood - neither as a woman of Glome nor as the protagonist of a novel written in 1956.

The City in the Lake by Rachel Neumeier: A coming-of-age story written in a style that reminded me less of Rachel Neumeier’s others novels and much more of Patricia A. McKillip, and maybe Robin McKinley. An the City, the Prince disappears. Meanwhile, on the other side of the great forest, Timou’s father, the mage Kapoen, leaves for the City and does not return. This is lovely. There’s a dreamlike quality to parts of it, but at its heart, it is very real and emotionally relatable - this story is about losing (and finding) family members. 

In the Greenwood by Mari Ness (short story): Published on Tor.com. This Robin Hood retelling is sharp and unexpected and fraught, in a way that I appreciate in short fiction or poetry but tend to find unsatisfying in novels.

This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills: Sloane, a high school senior, has recently moved to Florida. There’s a lot of different things going on here, from Sloane’s mission to find a painting by her new friends’ mother to her father’s adventures in fanfiction. At first, there didn’t seem to be quite enough space to explore everything properly - although I didn’t mind, because Sloane is witty and I was entertained. But as I read, I realised all of these are actually about love: family relationships, friendships, romantic relationships and the things people are passionate about. I really liked the way everything fitted together.

* Winter of Ice and Iron by Rachel Neumeier:  A tense, atmospheric and utterly gripping story of power and sacrifice. It is almost too dark for me to enjoy it - almost, because there’s thoughtful restraint to how the darkness is handled. The most unusual and complex aspect of the worldbuilding is the influence of Immanent Powers have on politics and those tied to them. But the characters were the reason I cared. By the time Kehera and Innisth’s paths cross, I was completely invested - and conflicted, because they each have the ability to help each other but their goals are different. Neumeier writes beautifully. This is amongst her strongest books. 

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crawley: Rachel and Henry were best friends until Rachel moved away and stopped replying to Henry’s letters. But after her brother drowns and she fails Year 12, she ends up working in Henry’s family’s secondhand bookshop. Meanwhile Henry has just been dumped and his parents are arguing about selling the shop. This alternates between Rachel and Henry’s POV, which means there’s a lot less suspense as the reader knows what both of them are thinking. On the other hand, knowing what they think of each other gives a sad story about endings - of life, of relationships, of dreams - a hopeful inevitability.

The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty: When Bronte was a baby, her parents left her with an aunt before gallivanting off on adventures. Ten years later, she receives the news that her parents have been killed by pirates. Their will insists that she set out alone on a journey to deliver a gift to each of her aunts. This is quirky and entertaining, and what begins as a episodic adventure eventually twists together in Moriarty-fashion. I suspect I would have stronger feelings about it were I still Bronte’s age or if it hadn’t been so light-hearted. All the same, I’d happily read more.

[swearronchanel]

8.08

how did the series fly by this quickly? anyways, let’s see how it ends

Aww poor Val

Now Shelagh and May, I can’t with all the sadness already

Vanessa Redgrave isn’t helping either ugh

But I’ve missed the nuns being nuns and singing I’m glad they squeezed some in

It’s so hard to be stuck in the middle like that, sorry Valerie

Now a teenage girl with cancer wow they REALLY wanna make me cry tonight

Shelagh always keeping herself busy lol omg like that to do list is serious

How many kids does this lady have damn

did he say Schroeder like the Baroness in sound of music? my subtitles skipped that and my hearing is shit apparently 

Val didn’t even put makeup on, you know she can’t even

“I’ve rather missed the cinched in waist” there’s my Trix

Also love her plaid pants

Cutting the photograph right in half ugh this is terrible

Lucille is so sweet

Ugh I feel that I hate hospitals so much

ANGELA SPOKE!! I’m shook

MAY SPOKE WHATTTTT!?

this is sad but I’m too shook that both of these silent little girls just spoke it’s a Christmas in March miracle

this is so rough bc we know Val’s gran really didn’t mean to cause harm. It’s all the system’s fault man for making women’s lives so difficult

What’s wrong with Reggie?😭

Phyllis!! Ugh I’ve missed her. The lack of her has been unappreciated

Also I still love Ms Higgins LMAO I want Phyllis and her to go out somewhere

Omg I’m in tears I can’t like this is heartbreaking, my grandma is my number 1 I can’t imagine being in Val’s situation

Someone tell me what’s wrong with Reggie and who must I fight to solve the issue !!!

Aww and now May’s gone 😭 

LMFAOOO SHELAGH AND FRED

the swat of the hand is a mood 😂

RIP to the disco ball, symbolizing my energy crashing and burning

LUCILLE DEFENDING VALERIE YESS

but i would’ve thrown hands like 1) do not talk to me like that & B) mind your business bc it’s between my gran and me

“Gentle sir” I still believe Sister MJ has a platonic crush on Cyril and I love it

LMAOO oops they’re all in their slips omg too funny

Remember when the girls had funnier lines like Trixie asking Jenny Lee if she was naked and indecent when knocking on her door? 😹

Aww now Vi everyone is succumbing to tears can we stop PLS

Why is this conversation so pure? Cyril is a gem

Poppet😭 Sister Hilda sounding like Mrs Potts

“I’ll teach you” ok I really like Sister Hilda

Pub money omg

“How nice..” LMAO Sgt Woolfe really has trouble with the curve 😭 is he naive or just too persistent

But Phyllis is smart af to set them up so she’s free from him😂

“You fixed that tap” LMAO I love Reggie

GIRLFRIEND! 😭 “no, beautiful” PUREEE

YAy Phyllis is coming home *starts singing in the key of one last time from Hamilton, Phyllis Crane is coming homeeeee*

“If only the laws were different” preach Val. We know the real villain. 

“No one can go through life without experiencing any pain at all” ain’t that the damn ugly truth 😞

Lucille giving her a gown ugh my heart

Reggie writing a letter to his lady again my heart

Ugh now the dad has a sob story this is all too much

Now Sister MJ will say something that’ll hit the feels as well

“None of that defeatist talk” remember when the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley said “don’t be a defeatist my dear, it’s very middle class” LMAO I miss Downton but let’s continue

Another baby girl

Ugh more feels why is this finale so damn sad

Sgt Woolfe sent Ms Higgins flowers, get ittt girl

Omg this is too much sadness I can’t

The tears in sister Mj’s eyes 😭

Dr Turner and Fred having a little moment is honestly sweet. They’re such dads

“I am the elder” OK SISTER MJ WE HEAR U SIS !! Sister J can take a seat! you know if she were around this series..

poor Fred was so worried

Not gonna lie I lowkey didn’t see this coming. I thought May was really leaving. But you know love gotta conquer all or this isn’t a ctm finale Lmaoo 😂

And now the Turner’s officially collect kids ((it’s a It Takes Two (1995) reference  LMAOO pls don’t come for me ill stop))

May is adorable & I love her

MS CRANE IS BACK IN ACTION YES HELLO OUR SOVEREIGN LONG MAY SHE REIGN IN NONATUS HOUSE SHALL WE POP OUR ROLODEX’S IN HONOR

“Where would I be if not along side you?” GOSH SISTER J MORE TEARS FOR ME

SISTER MJ PULLED UP TOO, UGH I CANT MY HEART

I can’t take the wigs serious like why do they wear them LMAO

England really can’t let go of a lot of dated traditions can they? like the 18th century looking wigs and well, monarchs 😂😂

“They never said that to Cinderella” it just gets more sad by the minute

EXCUSE ME SIR DONT SNAP AT BEATRIX FRANKLIN LIKE THAT

Cath came omg

Can there be one smidge of happiness pls ? I need some hope here

She’s changing her plead to guilty omgg

6 years oh shit

“Until you girls with all your training and all your learning sort something out with the men who make the law..” PREACH GRAN

ABORTION BEING ILLEGAL ONLY STOPS SAFE ABORTIONS FROM HAPPENING!!! yelling at brick walls at this point

I’m so glad Val and her Gran are made peace😭

the nurses serving princess looks😍😍

FATHERS AND DAUGHTERS WALTZ I CAN NOTTTT

PATRICK, MAY, AND ANGELA

IM IN TEARS GOOD FREAKING BYE

ScHRODER DRESSED IN CINDERELLA BLUE SOMEONE HELP

Phyllis holding a random girl and Sister J holding Angela 😭😭

“Gathered together we find our light, and each spark shifts and multiplies scattering its radiance on our ordinary lives. Like everything precious, more valuable when shared. Like every common miracle, made of the stuff of stars.”

Omg Violet brought Jane I cant

“Let the line shine...See the hope, see the promise.. Tell your truth. Tell your story. Tell your love.” WOW feels

THIS WASNT ENOUGH HAPPINESS LIKE I KNOW THATS LIFE BUT STILL I NEED MORE POSITIVITY TO GET ME TO CHRISTMAS

can’t believe I watched the entire series in real time, from London like wow life is crazy

But my time is halfway done already, catch me watching the Christmas special back on my couch in the states. ok bye see ya maybe in december

[what-does-one-affects-the-other]

Pop culture meme

@jinglebellslou​ and @literlarryreal​ tagged me in this and I’m bored waiting for the vsfs to start so alas

Rules: tag nine people with excellent taste

Color(s) I’m currently wearing: black GOT shirt and black and white pyjama bottoms

Last band t-shirt I bought: does Harry’s “treat people with kindess” count? If not, Red hot chili peppers probably, years ago. I don’t usually have money for merch rip

Last band I saw live: Ironically, One Direction. Or some bands that came at Untold and I cannot remember cause I’m usually there for the DJs 

Last song I listened to: Perhaps vampires is a bit strong but...- Arctic monkeys

Lipstick or chapstick: None, my lips are drier than Sahara. But in terms of what I’d use more if I remembered to buy it, chapstick. 

Last movie I watched: American Psycho probably? And I rewatched half of This is us the other night but I had to go to sleep before I finished it.

Last 3 TV shows I watched: OH MAN. Is it shows I’m catching up with? Cause I’m having Outlander on as I’m typing, just caught up with Lucifer and Peaky blinders last week. If it’s 3 shows I watched in their entirety it’s Stranger Things S2, Black Mirror and Rick and Morty. 

Last 3 characters I identified with: I’ll just say 3 characters from books and 3 from TV cause fuck rules. Tessa Grey, from The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, always and forever the most me character ever. Hermione Granger, and probably Cath from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (spot the pattern :)) ) . As for TV, Victoria from Victoria (the ITV one), Violet Crawley from Downton Abbey (for the sass) and The Twelfth Doctor from Doctor Who. 

Book I’m currently reading: Just finished Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare and now I’m debating if I should start Carry On by Rainbow Rowell or Winter by Marissa Meyer. And Celebrity and power by P David Marshall for my dissertation.

I’m the worst at tagging so @another-dreamless-girl @louisysl @larryandgaystuff @geeslouisee @nin10done @hrrytomlinson @lululawrence @bloodsweatandswiftie @dottystyles

[tradcathsermons]

Tweeted

Night Adoration in the Home is recommended by Father Benedict Hughs for weekly Holy Hours at home. An inspiring work by the great apostle of the Sacred Heart, Fr. Mateo Crawley-Boevey, on honoring Our Lord as a family, and consoling Him in your home.https://t.co/TgaFss5Xxx

— 🗝️ Trad Cath Sermons (@TradCathSermons) April 10, 2020

[helpmefindanewusername]

I've always known it, but never known it before.

Words in Deep Blue

Cath Crawley