January 2024 Recap: Focus and Fasting

Well hello there, 2024. It’s amazing how slow January feels, but how fast it’s actually over. It’s always a strange month for me, because work is busy and no vacation days are approved, and every year my church has been participating in New Covenant Association of Ministries’ 40 days of prayer and fasting, during which we have a nightly livestream of encouragement and prayer. So my days are busy, and my nights are busy, and I’m making a concerted effort to cut out distractions and focus on God, so during the times that I’d normally spend scrolling social media and watching TV or YouTube, I’m pushing myself to do productive things and/or pray. 

The food part of fasting has been the least important and least difficult for me – I stepped down and quit caffeine, and gave up sugar and dairy and red meat (and eventually all meat, and bread). I do pretty well without caffeine, considering how much I really love coffee. I’m not trying to give it up permanently, so no need to recommend decaf. No desire to go there. *wink* I’ve been drinking an enormous amount of herbal tea the last few weeks, and decided it was time to get myself an electric kettle.

So for books! That’s why at least some of you are here, right? In the month of January, I completed 6 books – a good start to the year, even if a couple of them were under 200 pages. As we got deeper into our 40 days of fasting, I made the decision to switch to reading books that would keep my focus on God for the remainder of the fast, and not be a distraction.

After reading five – count ’em – five new books by Brandon Sanderson last year, I decided he’d be a good one for challenge prompt #2, Read a book by an author you’ve previously read. Ha. So I started off the year with yet another one, released in November. Defiant is the final installment in his Skyward young adult sci-fi series, and it was absolutely a satisfying conclusion. The main character, Spensa, has a very amusing narrative voice, and the cast of side characters (including a mushroom-loving AI and a 15 centimeter tall furry ninja alien) provide even more entertainment, but the story was tense and action-filled, and the stakes were high.

Spensa went through a lot of introspection and emotional growth in this story, and there were times the story brought me to tears. I know there’s a collection of three novellas associated with this series that I haven’t read yet, which I’m looking forward to picking up. I’ve enjoyed this sci-fi world and the humor and heart Sanderson put into it. [4.25 stars]

After that, I made a start on my pile of physical books on the nightstand (seriously, it’s huge) and picked up Collages by Anais Nin for prompt #8, Read a book that’s been on your “shelf” for over a year. This one was recommended by my sister-in-law a few years back, and I can see why she thought I’d enjoy it. It’s a weird little collection of stories, full of luscious language and gorgeous imagery. The stories center on a few different characters who are all connected to the central character in the tale, and form something of a collage themselves (also one of the stories is about an artist who creates collages).

The pace was a little on the slow side but I was entranced by the writing. One paragraph for example: “The rocks were continually filled with surprises from shipwrecks, and the nights with sounds which the regular rhythm of the sea orchestrated. The wind flung itself between the rocks, dishevelled, wrestled with the waves, until one of them expired. The sky put on its own evanescent spectacles, a pivoting stage, fugitive curtains, decors for ballets, floating icebergs, unrolled bolts of chiffon, gold and pearl necklaces, marabous of oyster white, scarves of Indian saris, flying feathers, shorn lambs, geometric architecture in snows and cotton. His theater was the clouds, where no spectacle repeated itself.” [3.75 stars]

My next choice was a re-read for prompt #5, Reread a book you have recommended to someone else. I am constantly pushing Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga on my fantasy reading friends (most recently this month in the alliance chat for a phone game I play). I finished the final installment in the trilogy last month, and immediately wanted to start over at the beginning, since it had been over two years since I read the first novel. Jade City is an excellent introduction to the world of Kekon, an Asian-inspired island which is the only source of a fictional precious stone called bioenergetic jade.

Jade is precious because it interacts with human physiology in a way that produces enhanced physical and mental powers – but it is dangerous to anyone who does not have a genetic profile that allows them to tolerate and harness the energy, and who has not gone through extensive training to allow them to use it safely. The worldbuilding and culture is intriguing, and the magic system is heavily influenced by martial arts. I remember being fascinated by the interactions of the protagonist Kaul family, and this time through I could understand even more the choices each person made and how they led to the inevitable end. Bonus, after having watched two seasons of the The Wheel of Time on Prime Video, I now have a mental picture of the eldest Kaul brother, Lan, as Daniel Henney. [5 stars]

Next up, I picked up my choice for prompt # 10, Read a book from the Los Angeles Public Library’s staff recommendations – The City We Became by N.K. Jemisen. I’ve read the first in Jemisen’s Broken Earth trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed it – so I’d been intrigued by her new The Great Cities duology. The concept is fascinating – what if, over time, the collective identity of the inhabitants of great cities caused the city itself to gain sentience and a life of its own? In this first installment, we witness the birth of New York City in this metaphysical sense, as 6 avatars (one for the city as a whole, and five for each of its boroughs) are awakened as embodiments of the city. 

And of course, it wouldn’t be a story without conflict, supplied by a trans-dimensional force that has been opposing the birth of cities across the centuries – because each city’s birth causes the collapse and destruction of dozens of parallel dimensions. Or maybe it’s something darker and more disturbing at the heart of the enemy’s motivation… Like I said, the concept was fantastic, but there was something lacking for me. Maybe it’s just that I’m not as big of a fan of New York City as the author is – I’d be intrigued to see the birth of another city, but as I understand it, the sequel picks up where this novel ends, with a continuation of New York City’s battle against the enemy that threatens not only itself, but our entire plane of existence. Your mileage may vary. [3.5 stars]

Nearing the end of January, I picked up a book recommended for my church’s leadership team – You Have Not Many Fathers by Dr. Mark Hanby is out of print but very relevant to those in positions of church leadership and ministry. The book focuses on the Biblical pattern for relationships in ministry, a father/son bond that provides care and accountability lacking in the loose organizational oversight – or complete lack of oversight – that so many ministries labor under. Dr. Hanby takes us back to the forefathers of the Hebrew nation, as well as the founding fathers of the Christian church, to discover the pattern of generational blessing and inheritance.

This was a really insightful read, and as a bonus, one little nugget has already helped me look at the scriptures in a different way: ”We today tend to gingerly skip over all the lists of ‘begats’ in the Scriptures. All those details of the generations of Adam, Noah, Shem, Terah, Jacob, and the 12 tribes of Israel, we sometimes feel are not essential. Although these genealogical lists may seem irrelevant to us, it is imperative we understand that the very presence of these large lists, repeated over and over in our Bibles, indicates an enormous generational interest in the heart of God.” The day after I read that paragraph, I found myself facing another long genealogy in Ezra chapter 7 – and immediately took note of where it was leading, back to Aaron, the high priest, and that added to my understanding of the chapter. I chose this as my selection for prompt #54 – Read a non-fiction book. [4 stars]

I finished up the month with a short one, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller. This is another recommendation from my mom – I’ve been trying to go through the books she recommends for her one-on-one discipleship students for the last few years, as everything she’s recommended has been insightful and worthwhile. I really enjoyed the detailed look at a Psalm that I’ve had memorized since childhood, from the perspective of someone who has actually been a shepherd. 

The inside knowledge gives a richer understanding of the metaphors in the passage, and really provides understanding of the amount of work, observation and detailed care it takes to be a “good Shepherd”, as Christ is described. And as it was first published in 1970, it worked perfectly for challenge prompt #35, Read a book that was published before you were born. [4.5 stars]

Aside from reading, I haven’t been watching TV so I’ve been listening to a lot of Spotify. My go-to playlists are the ones I made with all the songs my team has done for praise and worship at our church for the year – I have 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 if you’re interested.

The best photos of January are in a gallery below, including three nail art looks for the month, my herbal tea stash, and Fred’s new “cardboard kitty condo” – since she’s determined to jump into every box that comes in the house I saved a bunch of them and taped them together in interesting ways with holes cut between them (inspiration from Linz, who made one for her kitten Nebula – who is essentially the same as my cat).

And here is where I solicit comments from you! What have you been reading this year? Did you set a reading goal for the year? Do you like herbal tea? (Recommendations accepted, what’s your favorite?) And what are you looking forward to for February? Talk to me, people!

The Linzthebookworm/Logophile 2024 Reading Challenge

Level 1: Book of the Month Club [4/12 complete]
1. Read a book you got for free
2. Read a book by an author you’ve previously read – Defiant – Brandon Sanderson
3. Read a book that is under 400 pages
4. Read a book published in 2014 (10 years ago)
5. Reread a book you have recommended to someone else – Jade City (reread) – Fonda Lee
6. Read a retelling of a fairy tale or a classic novel
7. Read a book that is a comedy or satire
8. Read a book that’s been on your “shelf” for over a year – Collages – Anais Nin
9. Read a book with a color in the title
10. Read a book from the Los Angeles Public Library’s staff recommendations –The City We Became – N.K. Jemisen
11. Read a caper story (heist, thievery, etc.)
12. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 2: Casual Reader Club [0/12 complete]
13. Read book 1 of a Duology
14. Read book 2 of a Duology
15. Read a book about faeries
16. Read a book you meant to read for last year’s challenge
17. Read a book with three or more colors on the cover
18. Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name with a family member
19. Read a book published by Simon & Schuster or one of its imprints
20. Read a book with the word “Dark” in the title
21. Read a book published in 2004 (20 years ago)
22. Read a book with a Gothic theme
23. Read a book on a banned book list
24. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club [1/12 complete]
25. Read an Enemies to Lovers story
26. Read a Lovers to Enemies (or Friends to Enemies) story
27. Read a book that starts with the letter “S”
28. Read a book from Refinery29’s “The Ultimate Book Bucket List: The 75 Best Books Of All Time”
29. Read a book with a grey cover
30. Read a book by an author you think has an interesting name
31. Read a Historical Fiction novel
32. Read a book with the name of a place in the title
33. Read a book about a veterinarian (or someone who works with animals)
34. Read the first book in a series you’ve wanted to start
35. Read a book that was published before you were born – A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 – W. Phillip Keller
36. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 4: Speed Reader Club [0/12 complete]
37. A book by Eleanor Hibbert under any of her pseudonyms
38. Read a Memoir
39. Read a book that is referenced in a film or TV show
40. Read a book with a skull on the cover
41. Read a book with the word “Truth” in the title
42. Read a book that involves gamer/fandom/geek culture
43. Read a book with a Scientist as the main character
44. Read a book that takes place in a cold climate
45. Read a book that has double letters in the title
46. Read a book by two or more authors
47. Read a book involving or inspired by Egyptian mythology
48. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 5: Overachiever Club [1/12 complete]
49. Read a book with a Unicorn in it
50. Read a book that takes place during the 18th century (1701-1800)
51. Read a book by Jonathan Coe
52. Read a book with over 700 pages
53. A book with a title that has 5 words
54. Read a non-fiction book – You Have Not Many Fathers – Dr. Mark Hanby
55. Read a book with a picture of food or drink on the cover
56. Read a book by an author with Fred in their name
57. Read a book that takes place in South America
58. Read a book you previously started but left unfinished
59. Rickrolled! Read a book with one (or more) of the following words in the title: Never Going To Give You Up
60. Free Space – Pick any book!

April 2023 Recap: All the Nerd Stuff

Another month, another chatty blog post ahead! Read at your own risk, y’all!

IMPORTANT CHALLENGE UPDATE: A short note – Linz and I have updated one of this year’s challenge prompts due to an oopsie… When picking a specific author for prompt #13, we chose one who was listed as an extremely prolific writer with over 900 books published under 11 pseudonyms. What we didn’t count on was the fact that almost all of her books are out of print and not in wide circulation, so it’s really tough to find any of them. I was able to locate 3 of her titles on Amazon – The Cat and the Canary, The Involuntary Chaperon, and Four Acting Monologues. – but if you’re not an Amazon person or want more options, we totally understand. We came up with two alternate prompts: Either you can choose a book by one of the authors listed on Owlcation’s list of the 21 most prolific authors of all time (which includes Mary Faulkner/Kathleen Lindsay, as well as a couple of authors from our previous challenges)… Or you can pull from one of our previous year’s featured author prompts: Georges Simenon (2022), John Irving (2021), Isaac Asimov (2020), Brandon Sanderson (2019), or Agatha Christie (2018). Since this has been dubbed “The Year of Sanderson“, it’s an easy choice to pick him… stay tuned to see if I take the easy way out.

Speaking of Brandon Sanderson *cough*… This month I finished another 6 books, including one of his. I’m ahead of schedule to complete my 50 book goal, and actually stand a fair shot of finishing the whole challenge for once this year.

The first book I read in April, for my first Free Space prompt (#12), was Brandon Sanderson’s second Kickstarter secret project, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England. With that title, you’d expect it to be pretty absurd and a fun ride, and you’d be correct – I had a really good time with it. The premise of the novel is basically The Bourne Identity meets the concept of time travel tourism, with hilarious excerpts from the handbook which was at least 60% advertising for the fictional company offering the ability to purchase your own personal medieval-era dimension.

The rest of the story – the main character’s journey in rediscovering who he is and reshaping his life, with some fun side characters, a somewhat familiar setting (with some quirky differences), and sci-fi elements – is a light, entertaining read. [4.25 stars]

Next up, my choice for challenge prompt #10, Read a book that starts with the first letter of your name – Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb. I picked this book up as an Amazon First Reads selection back in October of 2018, and didn’t re-read the descriptive blurb when I picked it for the challenge – I’d remembered it was advertised as suspense and gothic fiction, but had completely forgotten it was also billed as paranormal suspense. I enjoyed the book overall, and the descriptions of the setting and the glimpses of the area around 1910 – there were some things about the way the book resolved that I predicted handily, but overall there was a bit too much folklore and ghost story to this for my taste. [3.75 stars]

After that, I read Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult, which was one of a few options I had identified for prompt #41, Read a book with a title that starts with the letter V. This was a fascinating exploration of identity, memory and choices – so different from the sci-fi Recursion with its global stakes. It’s a family drama exploring some tough subject matter – kidnapping, alcoholism, child abuse, suicide, prison gangs, and repressed trauma. I’m not someone who has difficulty with these subjects – if you do, you may want to avoid this one – but it was deftly handled in my opinion, and very well written. [4.5 stars]

Next was the book I chose for challenge prompt #38, Read a book from ListChallenge’s Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge – the classic The Art of War by Sun Tzu (or Sunzi, as this copy lists it). This was one of the big binge of free classic novels I downloaded when I first got my Kindle and didn’t get around to. I can see why it’s survived for so long and been studied for centuries to apply to military and non-military leadership positions alike. Thought provoking, but not entirely my jam. [3 stars]

I have been looking forward to this book for a while, bought due to a recommendation from Merphy Napier. Duel of Fire by Jordan Rivet was self-published (perfect for prompt #35, Read a self-published book) and was a light, fun read with some romance, some fire magic, lots of sword play, some politics and betrayal… I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the setting and the magic, and I immediately had to buy the next in the series so I can find out what happens next. I’d say that’s a win. [4.25 stars]

Back when Linz and I were assembling our prompts for this year’s challenge, the usual wording of the trilogy prompts (specifically #22 and #23) was changed to just “book 2/3 in *a* trilogy” instead of “book 2/3 in the same trilogy” as we’d done previously. And since it got published that way, I decided to be a little tricksy and make progress in 3 separate trilogies because I could. For prompt #21, Read book 1 in a trilogy, I picked the first in a Young Adult fantasy by an author I’d seen years ago on a few panels at Phoenix ComiCon. Myke Cole usually writes more military fantasy, but this trilogy sounded more up my alley.

The Armored Saint was clearly setting up for a larger story so the beginning was a slow bit of world building, with a rush of action at the end setting up for the next book. I enjoyed the story for the most part, although there was one spot where I felt like the moralizing got a little heavy handed, and the fact that most of the book we are shown how oppressive the quasi-religious government is and primed to believe that everything they teach is a lie, only to find out that maybe it’s actually not so much a lie, kind of gave me whiplash. [3.75 stars]

Aside from reading, I’ve been continuing to watch Ted Lasso with one of the reaction channels I follow, and it’s quickly become a favorite show. We’re about halfway into season 2 now, watching a couple of episodes a week. I don’t know that I would subscribe to Apple+ streaming solely for this show, but if you can get a free week’s trial and binge-watch it all, I’d do it. And there are a few other Apple+ shows that I’ve heard good things about, so it might be worth subscribing if you know of others you’d like to check out while you’re at it.

In music news, I recorded another one of my original songs and uploaded to YouTube – Take My Hand … I’d intended to get a second one up but I got sidetracked by a couple of things. I got hit by an inspiration for a parody song just before the deadline to enter for the annual WoT Idol competition If you’ve read the Wheel of Time series, or just don’t care and want to hear my parody of Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero, enjoy Past Life Trauma. Yet again my song got knocked out in the first round of voting, but it was so much fun to participate that I didn’t care. And there were again some excellent competitors – full list of entries here, or you can see the last two years worth sorted by spoiler level in individual playlists here if you’re actually reading the books and want to avoid spoilers.

I ended up having a girls’ night out with some former neighbors and friends early in the month, and of course there was Easter Sunday, which was a very full day, and the week that followed was busy with the live stream events for the WoT Idol parody contest.

My other major nerd event, following closely on the heels of the parody song competition, was the annual JordanCon event in Atlanta. This was the biggest year so far, with 1195 attendees and over $23,000 raised for charity. And it was a heck of a lot of fun. Most years I’ve gone, I was rooming with some of my friends from Dragonmount, but this year they all had conflicts so I was without my designated extroverts. Well, except for one, but he was going to be off doing his own thing so I was going to be adrift.

In order to force myself to be social instead of hiding in my room all weekend, I set myself a couple of goals. JordanCon has a tradition of attendees collecting and displaying badge ribbons, and there is usually a lot of respect given the the folks who create the longest “badge beard” – most years I’ve only gotten 10 or so ribbons at most, because the best source is talking to the other attendees, some of whom have specific things you need to say or do to obtain ribbons from them. This year I set a goal to get my badge beard to hit the floor, which was achieved on Saturday afternoon. (And I ended up collecting several more on Sunday to boot.)

The other goal was to finish one of the convention games – usually they have at least one game designed to get attendees talking to one another, and this year the new member services director came up with a Bingo game that required the participants to interact with the many author and artist guests that come to the convention to sell books and art and sit on panels to discuss subjects of interest. The Bingo cards were randomized with 20 guests, and all the guests were given a stamp to use on the players’ cards. I decided I was going to finish my Bingo card, which was not easy – but the scheduling app for the convention helped me filter by panel guests to see what rooms they would be in at what times. I had to stalk the last few on Sunday afternoon instead of attending panels myself, but I was the first to finish the game, and received a cute little smiley super star pin. This game was a clever way to ensure we’d spend more time lurking in the Author’s Alley tables and sell more books, too – I bought 8.

The best pictures of April, including my nail art for the convention (themed around the Wheel of Time of course) are in the gallery below!

Another month down! Come talk to me in the comments, won’t you? Have you read The Wheel of Time? Do you ever go to conventions (not work related)? What have you been reading, or watching, or listening to?

The Linzthebookworm/Logophile 2023 Reading Challenge

Level 1: Book of the Month Club [11/12 complete]
1. Read a book recommended to you on social media or by a friend – Recursion – Blake Crouch
2. Read a book under 300 pages – The Courts of Chaos – Roger Zelazny
3. Read a book with a female main character – Tress of the Emerald Sea – Brandon Sanderson
4. Read a book by an author whose name is Samantha, Sam, or a variant – Seven Blades in Black – Sam Sykes
5. Read a book that was written by an author from your home state
6. Read a book you meant to read for last year’s challenge – Have We Met? – Camille Baker
7. Read a book with a basic shape on the cover (examples: circle, square, heart, star, diamond) – Call It What You Want – Brigid Kemmerer
8. Read a book you got from Project Gutenberg, a library, or another nonprofit source – The Blue Castle – L.M. Montgomery
9. Read a book about a hobby you enjoy or want to pick up (fiction or nonfiction) – The Bullet Journal Method – Ryder Carroll
10. Read a book that starts with the first letter of your name – Daughters of the Lake – Wendy Webb
11. Read the next book in a series you haven’t read in a while – The Lost Metal – Brandon Sanderson
12. Free Space – Pick any book! – The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England – Brandon Sanderson

Level 2: Casual Reader Club [6/12 complete]
13. Read a book by Mary Faulkner (or one of her aliases)
14. Read a book of short stories or a novella – Ford County: Stories – John Grisham
15. Read a book that involves a lot of traveling – Swan Song – Robert R. McCammon
16. Read a book published in 1998 (25 years ago)
17. Read a book with a yellow cover – The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock – Jane Riley
18. Reread a book you have recommended to someone else – The Imperfect Disciple – Jared C. Wilson
19. Read a book by Dean Koontz – Intensity – Dean Koontz
20. Read a book with a one-word title – Slayer – Kiersten White
21. Read book 1 in a trilogy – The Armored Saint – Myke Cole
22. Read book 2 in a trilogy
23. Read book 3 in a trilogy
24. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club [3/12 complete]
25. Read a book that takes place somewhere you’d like to live
26. Read a book recommended by whatshouldireadnext.com
27. Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name with one of your friends
28. Read a book with a neon-colored cover
29. Read a book that has under 1,000 reviews or ratings on a website or app – Joshua: Man of Fearless Faith – W. Phillip Keller
30. Read a middle grade book (8-12 age range)
31. Read a book with the word “Time” in the title – The Last Time I Lied – Riley Sager
32. Read a book about a famous criminal(s)
33. Read a movie novelization book (movie to book, instead of book to movie)
34. Read a fiction or nonfiction book that motivates you to be a better version of yourself – Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are – Shauna Niequist
35. Read a self-published book – Duel of Fire – Jordan Rivet
36. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 4: Speed Reader Club [2/12 complete]
37. Read a book that is over 600 pages
38. Read a book from ListChallenge’s Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge – The Art of War – Sun Tzu
39. A book by an author named David/Dave
40. Read a “Dark Academia” novel
41. Read a book with a title that starts with the letter V – Vanishing Acts – Jodi Picoult
42. A book set in Asia or an Asian-inspired culture
43. Read a book with a cat on the cover
44. Read a folklore book or book based on folklore
45. Read a book where the main character is a dancer
46. Read a book by a new author
47. Read a book that involves a conspiracy
48. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 5: Overachiever Club [1/12 complete]
49. Read one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2022 (any category)
50. Read a book where the main character is a villain or anti-hero
51. Read a book that has a title that is punny and/or alliterative
52. Read a “found family” story
53. Read a book that has a letter Q in the title
54. Read a book that has an illustrated cover – Naomi and Her Daughters – Walter Wangerin, Jr.
55. Read a book that takes place in at least two different decades
56. Read a book about an entrepreneur (real or fictional)
57. Read a book that takes place in Alaska
58. Read a book with the word “Justice” in the title
59. Read a book involving dinosaurs
60. Free Space – Pick any book!