May Highs and Lows

May is over.

I worked a bunch and survived the May Day protests.

Lots of OTHER things happened, only some of them cheese-related.

General updates:

• My partner came home early! Hooray! (She left at the beginning of April and had planned to return in mid-July. I am much happier with the new plan.)
• I shaved my head. It’s buzzcut season.
• Visited Portland, Oregon with my mom during Star Wars weekend (May 4-5)
• Cleaned UP at Powell’s – most store credit ever accrued during a single visit
• Learned to make vegan mac and cheese (Verdict: new favorite comfort food)
• Had brunch with my parents and partner. My dad made vegan pancakes. It was lit.
• Went to Star Wars Night at T-Mobile Park. I don’t care if it was a cash grab – the game was great, the food was awesome, and the fireworks show was magical.
• Became a baseball fan…? Results pending.

Oh, you came here to read about books.

Well, all right.

Proudest Purchase: These Witches Don’t Burn

I preordered a copy of this gem early on.

It FINALLY arrived ON May 31st.

I went on a JOURNEY with this book.

Twists on twists on twists.

It set up a sequel, which I normally hate, and I WASN’T EVEN MAD.

Also, I love Gemma. Team Gemma.

Most Confusing Plot: Dead Queens Club

Dead Queens Club started out great.

Unfortunately, the rest of the book didn’t live up to the killer intro.

I found following the plot of Dead Queens Club almost impossible.

I felt like I needed a history degree for the plot to make sense.

Biggest Letdown: Hot Dog Girl

This book got SO MUCH HYPE. It keeps getting TONS OF FIVE-STAR REVIEWS.

For a first book, it’s fine, but I definitely didn’t love it.

This is a story YA readers have already read a thousand times.

I thought it would be something special. To me, it was more of the same.

I can understand why this is a good thing. Bi characters get typical YA love stories! Praise be!

I just expected a little something more.

Main criticism: not enough hot dogs.

IF A VEGAN CALLS FOR MORE HOT DOGS, YOU HAVE UNDERUSED YOUR MEAT PRODUCTS.

Dark Horse Favorite: How to Be Alone

I can not recommend this book enough.

Please, if you have a spare moment, read this book.

Fastest DNF: Trust Exercise

I made it to page 6.

I couldn’t stand the writing style.

In an act of self-care, I put the book down and started something else.

Favorite Graphic Novel: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me

I had previously boycotted this book for…reasons.

(Nothing serious; I wasn’t interested in reading about toxic relationships.)

I violated my boycott after learning this book was actually a graphic novel.

The TWISTS! The TURNS!

It was so good!

Latest Impulse Buy: Denton Little’s Deathdate

This book looked like a tongue-in-cheek prom novel with…skeletons?

Mine now.

Newest Author Obsession: Amy Rose Capetta

To be fair, I’ve only read one of her books (and LOVED it.)

I have two of her more recent books on my TBR stack.

Watch me read her entire bibliography.

Most Painful Read: Maybe in Another Life

I cannot explain to you the depths with which I hated this novel.

I tried hate-reading it to the very end. I did not last.

There are character quirks and then there are CHARACTER QUIRKS.

In short: I never want to read about cinnamon rolls ever again.

I was shocked by how heavy-handed the writing was in this cinnamon roll-infested romance.

FATE IS A FUNNY THING. I GET IT.

Most Infuriating Read: Women Talking

CW: rape and explicit language

Know what’s fucked?

Community members drugging and raping women, blaming the devil, and protecting the perpetrators.

OH, YOU MEAN THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN A MENNONITE COMMUNITY IN SOUTH AMERICA?

In this story, the rapists broke an old woman’s teeth, impregnated an “old maid” (now considered unmarriageable), and gave a painful STI to a THREE-YEAR-OLD.

Let me remind you, this was BASED ON A TRUE STORY.

Fuck everything and everyone.

New rule for religious men: STOP PROTECTING RAPISTS.

Should I end this post on a happier note?

Perhaps?

Nah.

Summer is here.

May you read some books that make you happy and others that get you good and mad.