Shaina Reads

Goal #1 of 2019 is a go! I've finished two books in my Audible backlog since mid-January, bringing my unlistened-to total down to 20. My thanks go out to dishes, laundry, and a giant, truly-too-difficult jigsaw puzzle.

First, I listened to The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, narrated by Carly Robin. This was fun and steamy, and Carly Robin did each character justice with only occasional voice-changing corniness. A few things pulled me out of the story, though, and some are hard to talk about them without spoiling. The protagonists kept making out and feeling each other up in front of one of their families. Why? Not trying to clutch pearls too tightly here, but it's family dinner, ya 30-year-old adults. Also, there was a sexual assault scene that... got worse, when I think the author meant for it to get better? I loved hearing the story of a character on the autism spectrum falling in love, written by someone also on the spectrum. However, what felt like endless would they-won't they + the issues I shared above made it a cute meh.

Next up was Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel, narrated by a full cast. This was a second try for me. It turned out to be a great audio thriller, high on personal drama with the added bonuses of giant robots, ancient aliens, and the people behind the scenes investigating/covering it all up. Told in dossier format, you get insight into every character's head through personal diaries and one-on-one interviews, and then the occasional news dispatches about how broader society is handling the supposed-to-be-secret giant robot and ancient alien thing. I saw some of the twists coming, but as much as I expected another "meh," the ending left me wanting more. I wanted to buy the other one via Audible immediately, but the library came through with no wait list. I've already blown through the sequel, Waking Gods, and currently have the finale Only Human out from the library. I found Waking Gods even more interesting than the first novel; it built off well-laid character foundations by throwing them into even more morally gray situations. I'm having trouble sinking into the final installment so far, but I have faith it will click with time.

I have had Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction by Maia Svalavitz out from the library since January, but I haven't touched it in a couple weeks. Svalavitz frames substance use disorder as a learning disorder, using scientific evidence and her personal experiences with cocaine and heroin to build her case. My job has me wading into the weeds of opioid use disorder treatment strategies every day, and I often see substance use disorder framed either as moral failing or chronic disease. I've appreciated Svalavitz's willingness to think outside those boxes. The book is fascinating but dense; I started it in the thick of my concentration issues, and I stalled out halfway through. I want to give it another go now that those are subsiding.

ETA: Also entering my eyeballs lately is Rising Strong by Brene Brown. I don't have any coherent thoughts on it yet, but so much of it is speaking directly to my darkest beliefs about myself and others and helping me reconsider them. More soon!

I've struggled with how to start this post, but you know what? I'm just going to start.

I've finished graduate school, and I'm back in the world of full-time work and part-time rediscovery of what I like to do when I'm not at work. I keep thinking that second part should be simple now that I'm not a student, but I've never been great at transitions.

I still love to read and am thrilled to have more time for it now, but I've been circling my TBR hesitantly. I've had a harder time than normal focusing, retaining information, and sinking into narrative in any lasting way. Maybe I overstretched those attention muscles for school. It's possible facing the dung heap of the United States on a daily basis is training my brain to shut down as self-preservation.

What I do know? I want to try writing again, especially about the books I'm reading.

Here are a couple of my 2019 aspirations:

Chip away at my Audible backlog

I've waffled over cancelling my Audible subscription for months. It's felt especially handy ever since moving to Seattle. I never thought I'd be mad about living in a city full of readers, but the library holds lists for every medium are often backed up for weeks, if not months. For what's felt like a reasonable fee, I'm able to snap up whatever I want to listen to when I want to listen to it through Audible. But, joke's on me: for $17 a month, I've now got 22 books I couldn't wait to read at the time gathering virtual dust bunnies. Those holds lists don't seem so ridiculous now.

I've also recently realized 1) how much better I absorb and understand information when I'm reading it, and 2) how much longer it takes to listen to a book than to read it. Sometimes that information retention factor is less important, and often the audio versions of books have made my experience far better than they would have been if I'd read them. Sometimes, though, I want to better remember what I've read, and I also want to get through what I'm reading faster than an audiobook allows me to.

My Audible subscription is on hold now, and I'm going to cancel it when the time comes. I want to whittle away at my current backlog, shift more of my reading back to books and e-books, and give those interminable library holds lists a try.

Host a readathon or other event for Heather of Bits & Books

Just under two years ago, a fellow book blogger and dear friend Heather passed away. It was one of those accidents that felt fiercely unjust because of its complete randomness. I wish I'd known her better than I did, but I knew her enough to see how her enthusiasm (for budgies, baked goods, and especially books) and warmth touched not only me, but everyone around her. My heart still lurches when I see her blog in my RSS feed or her Twitter account pop up as I'm doing a search for something else. Knowing her, she'd probably just want me to smile at her memory and then find a delicious pastry and equally delicious novel.

Even while I've been out of the blogging world, I've kicked around the idea of hosting an event for Heather, perhaps in June for her birthday. I'm not sure what it would look like, but let me know if you'd have any interest in brainstorming or hosting with me.