I had huge plans for this week—and accomplished absolutely none of them. Of the 3 posts that went up this week, 2 of them were written last week! I really don’t know what happened. I do know that I’m the only one who thinks about it, but…it bugs me. Hope you fared better this week.
I have nothing whatsoever planned for next week. Let’s see what happens…
Enough of that, on with the stuff you came here to see:
that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Inside the Book Industry’s Battle to Stay Afloat During the COVID-19 Crisis
The Great Big Book Club—a new site set up for bookish folks in the lockdown, featuring interviews, live-streams, reviews and more
Science fiction builds mental resiliency in young readers—a bit too focused on reading for moral/educational benefit, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
The Different Types of Book Formats Explained—nice to see it layed out like this.
The Most Iconic Detective Sidekicks, Ranked: 45 of the greatest detective-adjacent crime-solvers in history.—I really enjoyed this list—I’d quibble with it a bit (as you’re supposed to with lists like this), for example Natalie Teeger should be there instead of Sharona Fleming. Bonus points for including Mozzie and Mac. Regardless, a near perfect Top 5 (indisputable top 2)
20 Books of Summer—I saw a few people do this last year (and maybe the one before), and told myself I had to play along. But first I have to come to grips with the idea that June is right over the horizon (how is that possible?)
The Great Fantasy Debate: What is the Best Fantasy World for Vacation? with authors Pierce Brown and Jim Butcher—I liked the first one enough to make sure I tuned in for #2
The Benefits of Reading—I always appreciate it when Lashaan decides to goof around.
Book Characters I’d Love to Spend Isolation With… And Ones I Wouldn’t!—ditto for The Orangutan Librarian
Never judge a book by its cover?! – Part Two: The Truth—Bookends and Bagends continues this series.
How to write book reviews, my reviewing process—always good to read someone else’s process (her new rating system intrigues me)
Book Slumps—two posts about Slumps in two weeks, not an auspicious trend.
I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Murder by Death, EmilyJane1995, Tea With Stevie (which I first misread as “Tea with Stevia” and thought “ew”), Christine, Katie @ Melting Pages and pen2m3 for following the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger, and use that comment box, would you?
Bookstooge
You know, you’ve got me curious. I don’t follow that many people, so the fact that I never see you commenting anywhere doesn’t surprise me but it did make me wonder, where DO you comment?
Your “use that comment box” sentence sent me down this little rabbit trail 🙂
HCNewton
Ummmm…at the moment, most of my commenting happens on Twitter and various booklikes spots (when it’s working). Occasionally at your blog (but people usually have made the point/comment that I wanted to, and I hate doing that, so I delete 60% of mine), bookidote (delete most of what I start there, too), Paul’s Picks, Witty and Sarcastic, and a handful of places I check regularly, and comment infrequently. Am actually trying to force myself to do better at that lately.
Bookstooge
Well, that certainly explains it then 😀
I’ve seen some recent posts from booklikers that things seem to be even more uncertain than usual. What’s keeping you there?
Good job on trying to comment more 😀 I usually just ignore all the other comments until I’ve made my own, so if I repeat something I simply don’t care. Probably helps that I consider comments to be between me and the blog owner. Not that that is going to help you, just my own way of dealing with the same problem 🙂
HCNewton
What’s keeping me there? Inertia, mostly. The last round of “ruh roh, Raggy” there really spurred a lot of us to find other ways to connect with each other. So my tether to that spot is a lot weaker.
Yeah, I should take a page from your book and comment regardless (inevitably will end up saying something slightly different anyway…)
Bookstooge
I hear you about inertia. But am glad that so many ARE making alternate plans.
Commenting also takes time. so factor that in, as I know you read a lot and more commenting could quite conceivably cut into your reading time…
Lashaan Balasingam @ Bookidote
I can already tell you that I am very appreciative of it all. Just for taking a look at what was written is already huge for me too. I do like Bookstooge’s approach by not thinking about what others already said since, in the end, it’s always just about what you and the blogger exchange between you two hahaha Again, thanks for reading and sharing, good sir.
HCNewton
You’d probably have a different answer if I hadn’t deleted my accidental 5 paragraph screed in defense of Gatsby 🙂
Lashaan Balasingam @ Bookidote
Naah! I actually enjoy hearing opposite views to mine, especially when it’s well justified. 😉 If you have a review of it, I would also gladly read it! 😀
HCNewton
About a year before I started this blog I read all of Fitzgerald’s novels, but apparently, I didn’t write anything about it anywhere (having written at least 2, maybe three papers on it between High School and College, I’m probably incapable at this point.
Lashaan Balasingam @ Bookidote
I can’t blame you for that hahahah
wittysarcasticbookclub
You know that Snowcrasher is not Snowpiercer, though, and that’s got to count for something. ?
HCNewton
I will give you that 🙂
Cathy746books
Thanks for the shout out for 20 books! Hope you can take part.
HCNewton
That’s my plan! I have a rough draft of my list already, just need to make sure it’s realistic 🙂
theorangutanlibrarian
Thanks so much for sharing my post! 😀
Lashaan Balasingam @ Bookidote
Thanks for sharing my post! I find myself goofing around more often than usual. Maybe it’s the social circumstances that’s driving me… nutty… 😀
HCNewton
And I can use that now!