Hi, book buds! The rumors are true: I'm still alive.

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, particularly on the weekends. I closed out February with a trip to New York City to visit a slew of college friends (and, of course, to hit up The Strand), and I spent the following weekend in beautiful Berkeley, California being wooed by their public health school (and not meeting Lauren, much to my sadness). I took a red-eye home last Monday night and worked the next day, and only now am I finally feeling readjusted to real life. I think sleeping for 12 hours on Saturday night/Sunday morning might have finally done the trick. Needless to say, that bloggin' flow has been more of an ebb lately.

Despite my lack of posting, I have been reading! Thirty-six hours of listening later, I finally, FINALLY finished Alexander Hamilton. I immediately dove into audio of Sarah Vowell's Lafayette in the Somewhat United States because I just wasn't ready to quit that tasty, tasty American revolutionary history. It was my first Vowell, and I'm especially interested in getting my hands on Take the Cannoli next. I'm crossing my fingers it'll come to Audible soon.

I've also been gettin' odd for Julianne's Weirdathon (sign-ups are open until tomorrow!). I've had Karin Tidbeck's Jagannath lingering on my virtual bookshelf since this time last year, and these oft-bizarre, always whimsical Swedish short stories did not disappoint. I also knocked another read off my Kindle with The Bees by Laline Paull. The ending managed to feel both epic and too neat, but I really enjoyed the ride. I mean, wildly religious bees. And they talk.

I'm so excited about everything I'm reading right now, too. I've raved about it on Twitter already, but get thee to your nearest audiobook source and grab up The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin. I ended up setting aside The Killing Moon when I tried it last year, but I'm absolutely sucked in to her latest. Fabulous world-building, a sucker-punch of a beginning, and solid narration? I couldn't ask for more. I also started The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America by Jonathan Kozol just last night, and my blood has been at a slow roil ever since.

Also, sorry to Rain and In the Woods. I'll come back to you, I promise.