Goodreads Book Tag

My longtime online bud and treasured beta reader Sharon at Library Hungry tagged me for this quiz. I'm not actually on Goodreads, but so what! On with the questions:

1) What was the last book you marked as "read"?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It's our next book club pick, and it took me literally only two hours to read it. I've heard of this book for years-- it's used as an example in a craft book I have-- but I hadn't realized how short and fable-like it is. I didn't dislike it, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting.

2) What are you currently reading?

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow. Recommended by Sharon. I'm not that far into it yet, and so far I'm a little like, "ho hum, teen dystopia, enter love interest stage left", but Sharon's review assures me it's going to subvert all that, and I believe her.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel You Know It's True. Someone (probably Sharon) wrote that she found Lumberjanes a little too manic and goofy for her tastes. Well, I read both volumes of Lumberjanes and Vol. I of Squirrel Girl (Squirrel Power) in the last week, and I can state with authority that if Lumberjanes was too manic and goofy for you, you should not read Squirrel Girl, because it is SO manic and goofy it makes Lumberjanes look somber and circumspect by comparison.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Listening to it on audiobook with The Son. Re-read for me, obvs. The Son has recently discovered a love of British humor. We watched all 10 seasons of Red Dwarf together, after which I was like, Okay, if you liked that, clearly you are ready for Hitchhiker's. It's is read by Stephen Fry and is delightfully nostalgic for me.

3) What was the last book you marked TBR?

Gemina --the sequel to Illiuminae.

4) What do you plan to read next?

A Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemison.

5) Do you use the star rating system?

Like I said, I'm not on Goodreads. But stars in general don't function as a useful way for me to rate books. It bothers me that "parts of this were pretty good but other parts kind of sucked" and "this isn't my usual jam, but it's a good example of what it's trying to be" and "I love this author to pieces but this really isn't her best work" are all a 3.

6) Are you doing a 2016 Reading Challenge?

Nope. I do plan to participate in A More Diverse Universe again, though.

7) Do you have a wishlist?

I assume this is also a Goodreads thing? My mom always asks for a Christmas list, and all I ever ask for is books and kitchen equipment, so yes, I do keep a (Short! I swear! I'm not as spoiled as this makes me sound!) list of books to ask for.

8) What book do you plan to buy next?

Funny you should ask, since it's my birthday in a week and a half, and that's one time a year I indulge my love of bookstores guilt-free. Part of the joy is stumbling across books you didn't even know you wanted, but I will probably keep my eyes open for:

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Tooth & Claw by Jo Walton
Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold
Zoo City by Lauren Buerkes

9) Do you have any favorite quotes?

Zillions, but today I feel like sharing this one from The Son's Favorite Book of All Time, The True Meaning of Smekday (just ignore that movie they made of it; it knows NOTHING of this book's greatness):

"'When I was a little girl,' I said, sitting down. "The wallpaper in my room had pictures of the Noah story... You know what's weird, though? It's weird that the ark would be such a kids' story, you know?  I mean, it's really a story about death. Every person who isn't in Noah's family? They die. Every animal, apart from the two of each on board? They die. They all die in the flood. Billions of creatures. It's the worst tragedy ever,' I finished, my voice tied off by a knot in my chest...
"'What the hell,' I said, 'pardon my language, was that doing on my wallpaper?'"

10) Who are your favorite authors?

Ursula K. LeGuin, Lois McMaster Bujold, Sharon Shinn, Connie Willis, Kim Stanley Robinson, Jacqueline Carey, Dan Simmons, Rainbow Rowell, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Rick Riordan, Adam Rex, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Salman Rushdie, Gerald Durrell, Jane Austen...

11) Have you joined any groups?

Goodreads thing again? I'm in a book club. It's a very moms-drinking-wine book club, though.

12) Who do you tag?

Joely!