#astreamoflight

[appleinducedsleep]

Hi! I have a question about the maidens :) what do you think of this book being classified as a mythology retelling? While I was reading it I legitimately forgot that the theme this month was mythology, and I don’t understand how it got pitched to publishers/booksellers that way! Did I just miss something?

-Emma (@astreamoflight)

@readerbookclub

I actually also forgot the theme, because it just seemed like a murder mystery with a dark academia flair. In the author's words, "I began with Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides, thinking about the themes of sacrifice and grief". He might have been very loosely inspired by those myths, but I don't think it actually is a retelling.

I talked about this with @reyofseokshine before and we did agree that the ending seemed to echo mythology the most. Maybe she has some more thoughts on this? Or somebody else in the bookclub? It’s an interesting question.

[favbookshelf]

The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest people.

- Descartes

Source: @astreamoflight

[appleinducedsleep]

am I the only one thinking this?

@mangoslixes @astreamoflight @bowieziggyfan @adhyayana-v

[readerbookclub]

One Year Later, May’s Booklist

Hurray! It’s been a year since the book club first started. Time really does fly. And why not celebrate this birthday by looking back on some of the books we’ve read together? This month’s book list is made up of novels by author’s whose works we read throughout the past year. Let’s revisit some old favourites, shall we? 

In May 2020, when the world felt like it was going to end and so many of us had more time than we could spend, this book club read its first book. Neil Gaiman’s, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, kept us occupied during that frightening time. So our first pick for this list is:

Stardust, by Neil Gaiman:

Life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall—named after the imposing stone barrier which separates the town from a grassy meadow. Here, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester and for the coveted prize of her hand, Tristran vows to retrieve a fallen star and deliver it to his beloved. It is an oath that sends him over the ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagining...

June was when many of our members first joined us (hey Ann, hey Rey, hey Lani! love ya!). Together we read The Starless Sea, a book that enchanted some, and frustrated others. Now we take a look at Morgenstern’s other novel:

The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

In August, when many of us still couldn’t leave our houses, we read A Gentleman in Moscow and met Count Alexander, a man under house arrest. He taught us a lot about finding beauty and purpose, even when everything seems hopeless. In this list, we take another trip into the wonderful imagination of Amor Towles:

Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles:

On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar with her boardinghouse roommate stretching three dollars as far as it will go when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker with royal blue eyes and a tempered smile, happens to sit at the neighboring table. This chance encounter and its startling consequences propel Katey on a yearlong journey from a Wall Street secretarial pool toward the upper echelons of New York society and the executive suites of Condé Nast—rarefied environs where she will have little to rely upon other than a bracing wit and her own brand of cool nerve. Wooed in turn by a shy, principled multi-millionaire, and an irrepressible Upper East Side ne'er-do-well, befriended by a single-minded widow who is ahead of her time, and challenged by an imperious mentor, Katey experiences firsthand the poise secured by wealth and station and the failed aspirations that reside just below the surface. Even as she waits for circumstances to bring Tinker back into her life, she begins to realize how our most promising choices inevitably lay the groundwork for our regrets.

In November, while I was procrastinating studying for my entrance exam, we embarked on a whirlwind journey that unfolded over twenty years. Journey Under the Midnight Sun was a story that started with one murder, then spiralled into a world of crime and deception. Now we take a lot at another one of Higashino’s novels:

The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, by Keigo Higashino:

When three delinquents hole up in an abandoned general store after their most recent robbery, to their great surprise, a letter drops through the mail slot in the store's shutter. This seemingly simple request for advice sets the trio on a journey of discovery as, over the course of a single night, they step into the role of the kindhearted former shopkeeper who devoted his waning years to offering thoughtful counsel to his correspondents. Through the lens of time, they share insight with those seeking guidance, and by morning, none of their lives will ever be the same.

In February, we read This is How You Lose the Time War, a book that led to our most lively and active discussion yet. It was then we welcomed many new voices into our book club, and we’re very happy to have them. Whether you loved the novel or just felt confused, I think we can all agree that it was something unique and different. Now, we take a look at another of Gladstone’s sci-fi books:

Empress of Forever, by Max Gladstone

A wildly successful innovator to rival Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, Vivian Liao is prone to radical thinking, quick decision-making, and reckless action. On the eve of her greatest achievement, she tries to outrun people who are trying to steal her success. In the chilly darkness of a Boston server farm, Viv sets her ultimate plan into motion. A terrifying instant later, Vivian Liao is catapulted through space and time to a far future where she confronts a destiny stranger and more deadly than she could ever imagine. The end of time is ruled by an ancient, powerful Empress who blesses or blasts entire planets with a single thought. Rebellion is literally impossible to consider--until Vivian Liao arrives. Trapped between the Pride―a ravening horde of sentient machines―and a fanatical sect of warrior monks who call themselves the Mirrorfaith, Viv must rally a strange group of allies to confront the Empress and find a way back to the world and life she left behind.

Vote Here: https://forms.gle/2cAGQtJDdDvhycMT9

Member’s List (message me to be added/removed):  @solitarystudies @adhyayana-v @gordinmegan​ @appleinducedsleep​ @morphedphase​ @bowieziggyfan​ @theeezoneee​ @wanderlustingdreamer​ @elfspectations​ @astreamoflight​ @engineeriblr​ @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23​ @pepperpaprikash​ @bubblylion​ @generalblizzarddreamer​ @ifancythetrancy​ @selescope​ @love-witch-magic​ @bluebellraven​ @arctic-mistress​ @asmolhumanwoman​ @medicineandamurder​ @belateeegfya14​ @orangesays​ @alxgnacherylle​ @guilthurts​ @earphonesandquills​

[readerbookclub]

The Maidens - Question List

Here’s the book list! As always, please do tag me if you decide to answer. And don’t feel pressured to answer them all, just pick your favourites. 

If you’d also like to receive asks about the book, please let me know through this post. 

General Questions:

1. What did you think of the book? What were the things you enjoyed and the things you didn’t enjoy?

2. What were your expectations before reading the book? Did it meet them?

3. Is there anything you would like to change about the book?

4. If you could visit the setting of this book, would you? Why or why not?

5. Which scene stood out most to you? Why?

6. How did you feel about the plot twist? Did you see it coming?

7. Do you think this book will leave a lasting impression? Why or why not?

Specific Questions:

1. What did you think about the references to other works of literature? Have you read any of the referenced texts?

2. In between the regular chapters were extracts from a diary/letters. What did you think of this approach?

3. The author of the book was also a student at Cambridge. Do you think that added to his ability to establish the setting of this novel?

4. What did you think of Edward Fosca? Did you believe that he was the murderer? Or that he was innocent?

5. At the end of the book, Theo reminds Mariana that Zoe is also a victim. Do you think that partially excuses her actions? Or is she still responsible?

Tag List (message me to be added/removed):  @solitarystudies​ @adhyayana-v​ @appleinducedsleep​ @bowieziggyfan​ @wanderlustingdreamer���​ @elfspectations​ @astreamoflight​​ @bubblylion​​ @love-witch-magic​​ @arctic-mistress​​ @asmolhumanwoman​​ @medicineandamurder​​ @belateeegfya14​​ @orangesays​​ @guilthurts​​ @earphonesandquills​​ @hernerdreview​​ @hunnynectarine​​ @earlgraysandcloudydays​​ @yeeveria​​ @artemisias-status-quo​​ @taurean-angel​​ @redvelvetprincess​​ @imreadingthings​​ @leftlightdestiny​​ @tams-writeblr​​ @beautifulcomputerstarfish​​ @ahen007​

[readerbookclub]

Hello everyone! This month’s theme is the first of the “A Trip To...” series, a collection of book lists covering different cultures, nations, and regions from all over the world. These will make an appearance every once in a while.

Our first trip is to Ireland, suggested to me by @bowieziggyfan. There’s no particular reason that Ireland is our first destination, but I can promise that not all countries are going to be European or English-speaking. I’m going to make sure that these lists cover diverse cultures and communities. 

I’m now going to explain the rules I set myself for these “A Trip To...” book lists. Feel free to skip this part if you’re only interested in the books and not the process behind choosing them:

The author must have a connection to the country (either they have the nationality, are permanent residents there, or their family comes from there)

At least half of the book must take place in said country (for instance, although Oscar Wilde is Irish, The Picture of Dorian Gray is not on this list because it is not set in Ireland).

Alternatively, if the book is not set in that country but deals with issues of its identity especially in regards to emigration, it can be included (which is why Brooklyn is on this list).

If it’s possible to make a (good and varied) list for a specific country, then I won’t rope it in with other countries (ex: I have to do Japanese and Korean literature as separate lists and not under the umbrella of “East Asian”). However, if I’m unable to do that because there aren’t enough translated books, then I will group them.

As long as it meets the other requirements, the book can be of any genre. 

Okay, enough babbling. Let’s get to the books!

At Swim-Two Birds, by Flann O’brien:

A wildly comic send-up of Irish literature and culture, At Swim-Two-Birds is the story of a young, lazy, and frequently drunk Irish college student who lives with his curmudgeonly uncle in Dublin. When not in bed (where he seems to spend most of his time) or reading he is composing a mischief-filled novel about Dermot Trellis, a second-rate author whose characters ultimately rebel against him and seek vengeance. From drugging him as he sleeps to dropping the ceiling on his head, these figures of Irish myth make Trellis pay dearly for his bad writing.

Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin:

Eilis Lacey has come of age in small-town Ireland in the years following World War Two. Though skilled at bookkeeping, she cannot find a job in the miserable Irish economy. When an Irish priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor Eilis in America--to live and work in a Brooklyn neighborhood "just like Ireland"--she decides she must go, leaving her fragile mother and her charismatic sister behind. Eilis finds work in a department store on Fulton Street, and when she least expects it, finds love. Tony, a blond Italian from a big family, slowly wins her over with patient charm. He takes Eilis to Coney Island and Ebbets Field, and home to dinner in the two-room apartment he shares with his brothers and parents. He talks of having children who are Dodgers fans. But just as Eilis begins to fall in love with Tony, devastating news from Ireland threatens the promise of her future.

Dubliners, by James Joyce:

Dubliners is a collection of fifteen short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They form a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. The stories were written when Irish nationalism was at its peak, and a search for a national identity and purpose was raging; at a crossroads of history and culture, Ireland was jolted by various converging ideas and influences. They centre on Joyce's idea of an epiphany: a moment where a character experiences a life-changing self-understanding or illumination. 

Normal People, by Sally Rooney:

At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school soccer team while she is lonely, proud, and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers - one they are determined to conceal. A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years in college, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. Then, as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.

A Week in Winter, by Maeve Binchy:

Stoneybridge is a small town on the west coast of Ireland where all the families know one another. When Chicky Starr decides to take an old, decaying mansion set high on the cliffs overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea, everyone thinks she is crazy. Helped by Rigger (a bad boy turned good who is handy around the house) and Orla, her niece (a whiz at business), Chicky is finally ready to welcome the first guests to Stone House’s big warm kitchen, log fires, and understated elegant bedrooms. John, the American movie star, thinks he has arrived incognito; Winnie and Lillian are forced into taking a holiday together; Nicola and Henry, husband and wife, have been shaken by seeing too much death practicing medicine; Anders hates his father’s business, but has a real talent for music; Miss Nell Howe, a retired schoolteacher, criticizes everything and leaves a day early, much to everyone’s relief; the Walls are disappointed to have won this second-prize holiday in a contest where first prize was Paris; and Freda, the librarian, is afraid of her own psychic visions.

Vote for your favorite here!

Member’s List (message me to be added/removed):

@solitarystudies @adhyayana-v @gordinmegan @appleinducedsleep @morphedphase @bowieziggyfan @theeezoneee @montaguest @wanderlustingdreamer @elfspectations @astreamoflight @engineeriblr @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23 @pepperpaprikash @bubblylion @generalblizzarddreamer @ifancythetrancy @selescope @love-witch-magic @bluebellraven @arctic-mistress​ @asmolhumanwoman​

[readerbookclub]

Hello everyone! It's time for another book list. This list is composed of books where characters have special powers/abilities. Let's dive right in!

Our first novel is the book that inspired this list! It was suggested to me in a survey, and I loved it immediately (thanks to the person behind that suggestion!). This newly released novel is a superhero story about so much more than just super powers. It's about race and what it means to be a young black man:

The Cost of Knowing, by Brittney Morris:

Sixteen-year-old Alex Rufus is trying his best. He tries to be the best employee he can be at the local ice cream shop; the best boyfriend he can be to his amazing girlfriend, Talia; the best protector he can be over his little brother, Isaiah. But as much as Alex tries, he often comes up short. It’s hard to for him to be present when every time he touches an object or person, Alex sees into its future. When he touches a scoop, he has a vision of him using it to scoop ice cream. When he touches his car, he sees it years from now, totaled and underwater. When he touches Talia, he sees them at the precipice of breaking up, and that terrifies him. Alex feels these visions are a curse, distracting him, making him anxious and unable to live an ordinary life. And when Alex touches a photo that gives him a vision of his brother’s imminent death, everything changes. With Alex now in a race against time, death, and circumstances, he and Isaiah must grapple with their past, their future, and what it means to be a young Black man in America in the present.

Our next book approaches the classic super hero story from a different perspective--the villain’s. 

Soon I will Be Invincible, by Austin Grossman

Doctor Impossible—evil genius, diabolical scientist, wannabe world dominator—languishes in a federal detention facility. He's lost his freedom, his girlfriend, and his hidden island fortress. Over the years he's tried to take over the world in every way imaginable: doomsday devices of all varieties (nuclear, thermonuclear, nanotechnological) and mass mind control. He's traveled backwards in time to change history, forward in time to escape it. He's commanded robot armies, insect armies, and dinosaur armies. Fungus army. Army of fish. Of rodents. Alien invasions. All failures. But not this time. This time it's going to be different... Fatale is a rookie superhero on her first day with the Champions, the world's most famous superteam. She's a patchwork woman of skin and chrome, a gleaming technological marvel built to be the next generation of warfare. Filling the void left by a slain former member, Fatale joins a team struggling with a damaged past, trying to come together in the face of unthinkable evil.

For our next book, we take a step back from the world of superheroes. Instead we turn to those who create these much-loved stories:

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon:

Joe Kavalier, a young Jewish artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdini-esque escape, has just smuggled himself out of Nazi-invaded Prague and landed in New York City. His Brooklyn cousin Sammy Clay is looking for a partner to create heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit America - the comic book. Drawing on their own fears and dreams, Kavalier and Clay create the Escapist, the Monitor, and Luna Moth, inspired by the beautiful Rosa Saks, who will become linked by powerful ties to both men. With exhilarating style and grace, Michael Chabon tells an unforgettable story about American romance and possibility.

In our next book, the character is not a superhero. But she does possess a special ability, a connection to the dead. (To be honest, it’s really hard to find standalone superhero books, so we had to switch it up a bit!)

Elatsoe, by Darcie Little Badger

Imagine an America very similar to our own. It’s got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream. There are some differences. This America been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day. Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered, in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

Being a super hero is cool and all, but most of us aren’t. Sometimes, you’re just a normal kid, living a normal life. That’s what our last book explores:

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, by Patrick Ness

What if you aren’t the Chosen One? The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death? What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again. Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life. Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions...

Please vote here!

Member’s List (message me to be added/removed):  @solitarystudies @adhyayana-v @gordinmegan @appleinducedsleep @morphedphase @bowieziggyfan @theeezoneee @wanderlustingdreamer @elfspectations @astreamoflight @engineeriblr @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23 @pepperpaprikash @bubblylion @generalblizzarddreamer @ifancythetrancy @love-witch-magic @bluebellraven @arctic-mistress @asmolhumanwoman @medicineandamurder @belateeegfya14 @orangesays @alxgnacherylle @guilthurts @earphonesandquills @alxgnacherylle @hernerdreview @hunnynectarine​

[readerbookclub]

Question List - Never Let Me Go

If you’d like to answer the questions, don’t feel pressured to do them all, just choose your favourite. As always please tag me so I can see your responses!

Also if you’d like me to send you asks about this book, please go and interact with this post. 

General Questions (I added some new ones to the list!):

1. Is this a book you would have otherwise read? If not, are you more open to similar books in the future?

2. Did the story play out in the way you expected, or did it surprise you?

3. Which scene stood out most to you? Why?

4. If you had to describe this book in three words, what would they be?

5. What did you think of the authors style? Have you read any of their books before? Would you read their work in the future?

6. Would you say the characters' personalities changed throughout the story? If so, how did you feel about these changes?

7. If you could ask the writer a question, what would it be?

Specific Questions: 

1. Ishiguro is a Nobel Laureate in literature. After reading this book, can you see why he was chosen for this award?

2. How did you feel about Kathy as a narrator? Do you think first person narration suited this story?

3. The characters were often unnecessarily mean in the way they talked to one another. Why do you think that is? Did this affect your sympathy for them?

4. Do you think the donors are a metaphor for something in the real world?

5. Are dystopian novels something you typically enjoy? How would you say this book compares to other dystopian literature?

Member’s List: @solitarystudies @adhyayana-v @gordinmegan @appleinducedsleep @morphedphase @bowieziggyfan @theeezoneee @wanderlustingdreamer @elfspectations @astreamoflight @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23 @pepperpaprikash @bubblylion @engineeriblr @generalblizzarddreamer @ifancythetrancy @selescope @love-witch-magic @bluebellraven @arctic-mistress @asmolhumanwoman @medicineandamurder @belateeegfya14 @orangesays​ @earphonesandquills​

[readerbookclub]

Before introducing our newest book list, I want to say sorry about this month. It’s been underwhelming to say the least. So far this year was very chaotic (packing up to move countries, having the plane tickets cancelled, and getting into Oxford?!). Between everything that happened, I neglected this club. But I’m very excited and well-prepared for next month, so it won’t happen again at least in the foreseeable future. We also have several enthusiastic new members who’ve messaged me, so hopefully our discussion will be even more lively this time!

Now back to our newest book list. Not to brag, but I think this is the best one yet. Time Warp is a collection of books that bend and play with time. It’s such an interesting topic that includes books from many different genres. Several of your recommendations also fit in perfectly. So let’s jump right in!

Typically stories play out over the span of weeks, months, or even years. But what if a writer were to shrink that timeline? Not to days or hours, but the mere seconds it takes to ride an elevator? Well, that’s what Jason Reynolds did in our first book, a story that lasts for a single elevator ride:

Long Way Down, Jason Reynolds:

A cannon. A strap. A piece. A biscuit. A burner. A heater. A chopper. A gat. A hammer A tool for RULE Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually USED his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator? Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES. And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator.

***

Our next book warps time in a slightly different way. What if every time you woke up, you found yourself in the same day (a sort-of Groundhog Day situation)? But unlike Groundhog Day, you wake up in different bodies. This thrilling book was suggested to me by one of you, and I absolutely loved the premise:

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton:

Aiden Bishop knows the rules. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest at Blackheath Manor. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others. With a locked room mystery that Agatha Christie would envy, Stuart Turton unfurls a breakneck novel of intrigue and suspense. For fans of Claire North, and Kate Atkinson, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a breathlessly addictive mystery that follows one man's race against time to find a killer, with an astonishing time-turning twist that means nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

***

Now we move on to an exciting genre: time travel! This next book was recommended to me by @earphonesandquills​​ and I just had to put it on the list. A sci-fi love story between two people on opposite sides of a war:

This is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone:

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war.

***

Typically, the protagonists of time-travel books are very intelligent people. But what would happen if someone wasn’t so competent? What if they fucked it up? That’s exactly what the protagonist in our next book does. Coming from a perfect reality, he messes up and finds himself in a horrifying dystopia (aka our world):

All Our Wrong Todays, Elan Mastai:

You know the future that people in the 1950s imagined we'd have? Well, it happened. In Tom Barren's 2016, humanity thrives in a techno-utopian paradise of flying cars, moving sidewalks, and moon bases, where avocados never go bad and punk rock never existed . . . because it wasn't necessary. Except Tom just can't seem to find his place in this dazzling, idealistic world, and that's before his life gets turned upside down. Utterly blindsided by an accident of fate, Tom makes a rash decision that drastically changes not only his own life but the very fabric of the universe itself. In a time-travel mishap, Tom finds himself stranded in our 2016, what we think of as the real world. For Tom, our normal reality seems like a dystopian wasteland. But when he discovers wonderfully unexpected versions of his family, his career, and—maybe, just maybe—his soul mate, Tom has a decision to make. Does he fix the flow of history, bringing his utopian universe back into existence, or does he try to forge a new life in our messy, unpredictable reality? Tom’s search for the answer takes him across countries, continents, and timelines in a quest to figure out, finally, who he really is and what his future—our future—is supposed to be.

***

Our final book is something I never knew I needed until I found it. I have spent way too much time day dreaming about a scenario where I find myself in the distant past. I imagine myself telling people about electricity and planes and modern medicine. But if they asked me to actually make something, I wouldn’t be able to. And that bothers me. This book is the solution. It’s a non-fiction guide on what to do if you were to find yourself in such a scenario (as unlikely as it may seem):

How to Invent Everything: A Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler, by Ryan North:

What would you do if a time machine hurled you thousands of years into the past. . . and then broke? How would you survive? Could you improve on humanity's original timeline? And how hard would it be to domesticate a giant wombat? With this book as your guide, you'll survive--and thrive--in any period in Earth's history. Bestselling author and time-travel enthusiast Ryan North shows you how to invent all the modern conveniences we take for granted--from first principles. This illustrated manual contains all the science, engineering, art, philosophy, facts, and figures required for even the most clueless time traveler to build a civilization from the ground up. Deeply researched, irreverent, and significantly more fun than being eaten by a saber-toothed tiger, How to Invent Everything will make you smarter, more competent, and completely prepared to become the most important and influential person ever.

***

That’s it for this month’s list. Hope you like these books as much as I do! As always, please vote here.

Member’s List (message me if you want to be added/removed): @solitarystudies​​ @adhyayana-v​​ @gordinmegan​​ @appleinducedsleep​​ @morphedphase​​ @lilian-evans​​ @bowieziggyfan​​ @calebprior25​​ @bluebellraven​​ @love-witch-magic​​ @badasthesun​​ @theeezoneee​​ @montaguest​​ @wanderlustingdreamer​​ @csloreen​​ @elfspectations​​ @astreamoflight​​ @engineeriblr​​ @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23​​ @pepperpaprikash​​ @bubblylion​​

[readerbookclub]

Our Next Book is...

Dubliners, by James Joyce! As always we have the entire month of April to read it, and will begin our discussion after that. Our first short story collection didn’t go too well, but let’s hope this one is better, eh?

Members List: @solitarystudies​ @adhyayana-v​ @gordinmegan​ @appleinducedsleep​ @morphedphase​ @bowieziggyfan​ @theeezoneee​ @wanderlustingdreamer​ @elfspectations​ @astreamoflight​ @engineeriblr​ @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23​ @pepperpaprikash​ @bubblylion​ @generalblizzarddreamer​ @ifancythetrancy​ @selescope​ @love-witch-magic​ @bluebellraven​ @arctic-mistress​​ @asmolhumanwoman​ @medicineandamurder​ @belateeegfya14​ @orangesays​​​

[readerbookclub]

Our Next Book is...

It was quite a close call, winning by one vote! Thank you so much to @earphonesandquills for this wonderful suggestion. As always, we have a month to read it and will begin discussing early March. I can’t wait!

Member’s List (message me if you’d like to be added/removed): @solitarystudies @adhyayana-v @gordinmegan @appleinducedsleep @morphedphase @lilian-evans @bowieziggyfan @bluebellraven @love-witch-magic @theeezoneee @montaguest @wanderlustingdreamer @elfspectations​ @astreamoflight​ @engineeriblr​ @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23​ @pepperpaprikash​ @bubblylion​ @generalblizzarddreamer​

[readerbookclub]

Our Next Book is ...

I’m very excited to announce our next book (which is hidden under the read more), but first I want to tell you three things:

1. We have a discord now! It’s optional so you don’t have to join if you don’t want to, but it might be fun. You can join here. 

2.  The This is How You Lose the Time War question list will be a day (or two) late, sorry about that.

3. I made a summary of the Educated discussion, which you can check out here. I hope to do something similar for all our future discussions.  

Now to the announcement...

Once again, a close call! There was only one vote separating Never Let Me Go from Death with Interruptions. Anyway, I’m really looking forward to this book.

Tag List:  @solitarystudies​ @adhyayana-v​ @gordinmegan​ @appleinducedsleep​ @morphedphase​ @bowieziggyfan​ @theeezoneee​ @montaguest​ @wanderlustingdreamer​ @elfspectations​ @astreamoflight​ @engineeriblr​ @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23​ @pepperpaprikash​ @bubblylion​  @generalblizzarddreamer​ @ifancythetrancy​ @selescope​ @bluehair-pixie​ @earphonesandquills​

[readerbookclub]

Question List: Educated by Tara Westover

If you’d like to join, don’t feel pressured to answer all the questions, only the ones that interest you. And please tag me in your posts so that I can see! 

General Questions:

What did you think of the book? What were the things you enjoyed and the things you didn’t enjoy?

Did any quotes or passages stand out to you? What where they and why?

Did the book show you a new perspective on a certain topic?

Is there any other person mentioned in the book, whose perspective on the events you'd like to read?

Would you consider re-reading this book in the future?

If someone enjoyed this book, are there any similar books you'd recommend to them?

What did you think about the author's style of writing?

Specific Questions:

This is the first non-fiction book we've read. Do you read non-fiction often? Would you be open to the book club reading more non-fiction in the future?

What part of Tara's story resonated with you most?

Many of the books chapters can be read as stand alone essays. Which of these chapters was your favorite?

In the book, Tara is very vulnerable in sharing her experiences and thoughts. How did it feel to get such an intimate look into a stranger's life?

What did you learn from reading about someone with such unique life experiences?

Member’s List (message me if you’d like to be added/removed): 

@solitarystudies​ @adhyayana-v​ @gordinmegan​ @appleinducedsleep​ @morphedphase​ @lilian-evans​ @bowieziggyfan​ @bluebellraven​ @love-witch-magic​ @theeezoneee​ @montaguest​ @wanderlustingdreamer​ @elfspectations​​ @astreamoflight​​ @engineeriblr​​ @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23​​ @pepperpaprikash​​ @bubblylion​​ @generalblizzarddreamer​

[readerbookclub]

Hello everyone! I’m back with another book list. This time, all the books are written by Nobel laureates (for literature, of course).

Usually I preface each book with a short explanation about how it relates to our theme. But this time, I did something a little difference. Before each book, I included a short quote from the Nobel website, explaining why the writer won the award. 

The critics love these books, will we?

Toni Morrison - United States of America - 1993:  “who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality”.

Beloved, Toni Morrison:

Sethe was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. She has borne the unthinkable and not gone mad, yet she is still held captive by memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. Meanwhile Sethe’s house has long been troubled by the angry, destructive ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved. Sethe works at beating back the past, but it makes itself heard and felt incessantly in her memory and in the lives of those around her. When a mysterious teenage girl arrives, calling herself Beloved, Sethe’s terrible secret explodes into the present. Combining the visionary power of legend with the unassailable truth of history, Morrison’s unforgettable novel is one of the great and enduring works of American literature.

Jose Saramago - Portugal - 1998: “ who with parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony continually enables us once again to apprehend an elusory reality”. 

Death with Interruptions, Jose Saramago:

On the first day of the new year, no one dies. This of course causes consternation among politicians, religious leaders, morticians, and doctors. Among the general public, on the other hand, there is initially celebration—flags are hung out on balconies, people dance in the streets. They have achieved the great goal of humanity: eternal life. Then reality hits home—families are left to care for the permanently dying, life-insurance policies become meaningless, and funeral parlors are reduced to arranging burials for pet dogs, cats, hamsters, and parrots. Death sits in her chilly apartment, where she lives alone with scythe and filing cabinets, and contemplates her experiment: What if no one ever died again? What if she, death with a small d, became human and were to fall in love?

Orhan Pamuk - Turkey - 2006: “who in the quest for the melancholic soul of his native city has discovered new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures”. 

My Name is Red, Orhan Pamuk:

The Sultan has commissioned a cadre of the most acclaimed artists in the land to create a great book celebrating the glories of his realm. Their task: to illuminate the work in the European style. But because figurative art can be deemed an affront to Islam, this commission is a dangerous proposition indeed. The ruling elite therefore mustn’t know the full scope or nature of the project, and panic erupts when one of the chosen miniaturists disappears. The only clue to the mystery–or crime? –lies in the half-finished illuminations themselves. Part fantasy and part philosophical puzzle, My Name is Red is a kaleidoscopic journey to the intersection of art, religion, love, sex and power.

Kazuo Ishiguro - United Kingdom - 2017:  “who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world”.

Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro:

Hailsham seems like a pleasant English boarding school, far from the influences of the city. Its students are well tended and supported, trained in art and literature, and become just the sort of people the world wants them to be. But, curiously, they are taught nothing of the outside world and are allowed little contact with it. Within the grounds of Hailsham, Kathy grows from schoolgirl to young woman, but it’s only when she and her friends Ruth and Tommy leave the safe grounds of the school (as they always knew they would) that they realize the full truth of what Hailsham is.

Olga Tokarczuk - Poland - 2018:  “for a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life”.

Flights, Olga Tokarczuk:

From the incomparably original Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk, Flights interweaves reflections on travel with an in-depth exploration of the human body, broaching life, death, motion, and migration. Chopin’s heart is carried back to Warsaw in secret by his adoring sister. A woman must return to her native Poland in order to poison her terminally ill high school sweetheart, and a young man slowly descends into madness when his wife and child mysteriously vanish during a vacation and just as suddenly reappear. Through these brilliantly imagined characters and stories, interwoven with haunting, playful, and revelatory meditations, Flights explores what it means to be a traveler, a wanderer, a body in motion not only through space but through time. Where are you from? Where are you coming in from? Where are you going? we call to the traveler. Enchanting, unsettling, and wholly original, Flights is a master storyteller’s answer.

Please vote for your favorite here.

Member’s List (message me to be added/removed):@solitarystudies @adhyayana-v @gordinmegan @appleinducedsleep @morphedphase @lilian-evans @bowieziggyfan @theeezoneee @montaguest @wanderlustingdreamer @elfspectations @astreamoflight @engineeriblr @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23 @pepperpaprikash @bubblylion  @generalblizzarddreamer @ifancythetrancy @selescope @bluehair-pixie​

[readerbookclub]

The Book Club Chat Server!

In a recent post, I briefly mentioned that the book club has a discord server now (here’s the link to join). But I didn’t delve into what exactly this means. So this posts talks a little more about our new place to chat and answers some questions you might have. 

Also if you’re having difficulty joining, the last question (under a read more) breaks it down, step by step. Hope this helps x

What is discord?

Discord is a website that people use to message and chat over the internet. Within discord, you can join servers—think of this as one big group chat for the club. We can message each other and have a casual chat.

While some discord servers can be open to the public, ours is private and only I can send out invitation links. This means you don't have to worry about spammers or bullies or bots, they won't be able to join and if somehow they do, I can always kick them out.

Why did you make a discord?

Having a place to chat can make us feel more like a group and encourage conversations. For those of us who’ve been around for a while now, we’re familiar with each other and our interests. But for our newer members, this doesn’t always feel like a community. And it can be pretty intimidating to reach out and try to connect with others.

I've noticed that a lot of people will only interact with me. They'll reply to my posts, send me asks, and message me. But not a lot of people interact with each other. By having a place for us all to chat, we can get to know each other a little better. Reaching out to other members and talking to them becomes a lot easier.

Does this mean we won’t use Tumblr anymore?

Big no! I absolutely love Tumblr as a place to discuss books. The ability to write super long posts lends itself very well to book reviews and nuanced discussions. Also the ability to send other people asks is something I really enjoy. But tumblr is lacking when it comes to its chat feature, so this is a way to make up for that. I'll still be posting all my question lists and reviews over here, and I'm still going to bug you with asks. The discord is simply a place to add to what we have here, not to take it way.

I’ve never used discord before. Will it be hard for me to figure it out?

Absolutely not. Discord has a very simple and easy to navigate interface. It'll be just like any other chat website/app. And if you have trouble figuring out, you can message me and I'll be more than happy to help. Discord even has a guide explaining how to use its main features.

Why discord? Why not another platform?

When I asked you for your thoughts about starting a server, a few people suggested a platform other than discord. I looked into your suggestions and felt that discord was the best option. Some other platforms make personal information visible to others, such as phone number or email. With discord, you can keep that stuff private which makes it safer.

Another person brought up the Tumblr chat option. While that's a great idea, it does have it's drawbacks. The tumblr chat option is only available on the app, which not everyone uses. Discord however, can be accessed anywhere—you can use the website, mobile app, or download it on your laptop. The other reason is that you can't separate the tumblr chat into sub-chats or do any form of organization. This raises issues. For instance, on discord I can make a spoiler-free zone for casual chit chat and separate it from the book-discussion chat that'll probably be filled with spoilers. On discord, I can also pin important messages, assign roles to members, and delete any unwanted/hateful messages.

I don’t have the time to check the discord regularly? Does this mean I shouldn’t join?

You can still join! Discord saves old messages, so if you log in once in a while, you can catch up quite easily. It's totally fine if you only check in every week or so.

I follow this blog, but I’m not part of the book club. Can I still join?

Of course you can! This is a place for you to get to know other readers, and become more familiar with some of us in this little corner of booklr. Who knows, maybe you'll be encouraged to read along with us!

Do I have to join?

No you don't. But it could be fun, so why not go for it! If you join and then later decide it's not for you, you're always welcome to leave.

I'm having difficulty joining, can you explain it to me?

This is the link you'll need to use. Please note that it'll expire in a week, so if you're reading this after then message me and I'll give you a new link.

Bellow the read more is a step-by step guide to joining.

1. Click the link above, and you should open this page:

2. Come up with a username, and click continue. This should take you to the following page:

3. Verify that you’re a human (you are a human, aren’t you?!). If you don’t have an account this might come up:

4. You can make an account if you want, but you don’t have to! Simply click outside of the sign up box and it should disappear. 

5. Discord will probably ask you to verify your age (their minimum age differs from country to country, but I think all our members are old enough to join):

After that, you’re in! If you're facing any difficulties with joining, message me. There's another slightly more complicated way to join, and we can do that instead.

Tag List (message me to be added/removed):  @solitarystudies @adhyayana-v @gordinmegan​ @appleinducedsleep​ @morphedphase​ @bowieziggyfan​ @theeezoneee​ @montaguest​ @wanderlustingdreamer​ @elfspectations​ @astreamoflight​ @engineeriblr​ @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23​ @pepperpaprikash​ @bubblylion​ @generalblizzarddreamer​ @ifancythetrancy​ @selescope​ @bluehair-pixie​ @love-witch-magic​ @bluebellraven​ 

[readerbookclub]

Update on Hiatus

Hey everyone! 

Sorry for making this post so long after the first one. I read through all your replies (by the way, thank you all so much for the lovely messages <3 it means a lot). 

If you remember, I asked whether you wanted to take a break with me for the next few months or continue during my absence. It seems to me like there was no strong preference either way. Because of that, I think it’s best if we take a short break in the mean time. Pale Fire will be our last book for now, and we’ll start again in December. 

I’m really excited about this month’s book! I hope it’s a good one :)

Tag List (message me to be added/removed):  @solitarystudies​​ @adhyayana-v​​ @appleinducedsleep​​ @bowieziggyfan​​ @wanderlustingdreamer​​​ @elfspectations​​ @astreamoflight​​​ @bubblylion​​​ @love-witch-magic​​​ @arctic-mistress​​​ @asmolhumanwoman​​​ @medicineandamurder​​​ @belateeegfya14​​​ @orangesays​​​ @guilthurts​​​ @earphonesandquills​​​ @hernerdreview​​​ @hunnynectarine​​​ @earlgraysandcloudydays​​​ @yeeveria​​​ @artemisias-status-quo​​​ @taurean-angel​​​ @redvelvetprincess​​​ @imreadingthings​​​ @leftlightdestiny​​​ @tams-writeblr​​​ @beautifulcomputerstarfish​​​ @ahen007​