Introverted Reader

Books for Netflix Adaptations

I think this might be my very first Top Ten Tuesday! I blogged for seven years from 2009 - 2016 and just started blogging again at the end of June. I was certainly aware of these weekly lists, so I don't know why I've never joined in before! Anyway, on to my list of books for Netflix adaptations! Books I Would Choose for Netflix Adaptations This is a tough list for me to start with! Screen adaptations almost always disappoint me. I do very rarely wish that someone would make a faithful film of a book I enjoy though. A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess--I just finished listening to the second book in this series and I described it to my husband as Godzilla or Pacific Rim meets sorcerers in Victorian London. You want to see it now, don't you? The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher--I'm well aware that there was a short-lived series based on these books but here's the thing--I liked it. I liked it a lot. And it only lasted one season. As I searched for a link for this post, I saw that Fox optioned the series rights in 2018, so maybe we will get a reboot. Fingers crossed. Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Wright--I tend to read The Dresden Files and the Mercy Thompson books in cycles together for some reason, so of course my above choice triggered this option. This is another fantastic series that would adapt well to the screen. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang--I'm not much of a romance reader but this book was absolutely charming. It's a great #ownvoices choice as the main character and the author are both on the Autism Spectrum. It looks like a screen adaptation is in development already. Bloody Jack series by L.…

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August 18, 2020

Bookish Miscellany

Weekly Update for August 16, 2020

Welcome to my weekly update for August 16, 2020! Two of the biggest natural tourist attractions in Oregon are the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway and Multnomah Falls. State officials closed them before we arrived here in April because of COVID-19. They finally re-opened on Thursday! We set out to explore on Friday. The air was hazy and we picked the worst time of day for photography, but it was beautiful nevertheless! We were focused on the drive this time so we only stopped at waterfalls that were easily seen from the road. We'll venture back to do more hiking and exploring soon. Multnomah FallsLatourell Falls Posted: Hard Rain by Irma Venter--3 Stars Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (Book #2) by Eoin Colfer--4 Stars Read: A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess, read by Fiona Hardingham Currently Reading: The Empire of Gold (The Daevabad Trilogy #3) by S. A. Chakraborty Aerie (Magonia #2) by Maria Dahvana Headley, read by Therese Plummer and Michael Crouch Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright On Hold for Now: Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen–I ran out of time on this library check-out so I’m on the waiting list again. Hiking Oregon’s History: The Stories behind Historic Places You Can Walk to See by Michael L. Sullivan–I had to return this book before finishing it but I placed a hold on it so that I can continue it when it’s available again. Watching: The Old Guard starring Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne on Netflix. I like Charlize and I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. A team of immortal warriors has been trying to change the world for the better for centuries (millennia?) but they're getting tired.…

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August 16, 2020

Hard Rain by Irma Venter: Book Review

I wanted to like this more than I did. I feel like it's a pretty solid premise but the writing was too--jumpy? Maybe? I actually restarted it about 20 pages in because I thought I had missed something. Alex and Ranna barely seemed to know each other but Alex seemed to think that she owed him something. It was some crazy...

The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer: Book Review

I think I enjoyed this one even more than the first. These books are just a lot of fun, even to a 30-year-old woman. They would have been some of my favorites if they'd been around when I was a kid. I have to admit to giggling aloud even now. But aside from the wackiness of the story, I like seeing Artemis grow and learn about...

Bookish Miscellany

Weekly Update for August 9, 2020

Welcome to my weekly update for August 9, 2020! After all our hiking last week, we took it relatively easy this week. My husband and I are usually in one place for three months before moving to a new place with his job. His three months in Portland, Oregon were complete on July 25 but we decided to renew his contract here for another three months for a lot of reasons. Anyway, we decided to take the RV (which we live in while we're traveling) through a (socially-distanced) truck wash and drive it around for an hour or so to keep the engine running since it's been sitting for so long. And that's probably the most excitement we had this week. Oh, this pandemic! Posted: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer--4 Stars The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood--4 Stars Read: Hard Rain by Irma Venter, translated by Elsa Silke Malorie by Josh Malerman, read by Cassandra Campbell Currently Reading: The Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess, read by Fiona Hardingham Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright On Hold for Now: Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen–I ran out of time on this library check-out so I’m on the waiting list again. Hiking Oregon’s History: The Stories behind Historic Places You Can Walk to See by Michael L. Sullivan–I had to return this book before finishing it but I placed a hold on it so that I can continue it when it’s available again. Watching: One Day at a Time on Netflix. Oh my goodness, we love this show! It's a (remade) sitcom about a Cuban family living in LA. My father-in-law is Cuban so we relate to…

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August 9, 2020

The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood: Book Review

I have listened to all of these books on audio and Katherine Kellgren's whole-hearted narration has kept me coming back. She threw everything she had into howling at the moon, singing songs, and giving voices to both the innocent and the bad guys. I realized that Katherine had passed away before finishing the series as I added...

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer: Book Review

I truly enjoyed this book. Artemis is a genius, but we also get to watch him grow up (and loosen up) a little as the book progresses. Just when you start to forget that Artemis is only twelve, a scene comes along that shows how vulnerable he still is. The plot was smart, funny, and well-written. The fairies were not your typical [...]

Bookish Miscellany

Weekly Update August 2, 2020

Welcome to my weekly update for August 2, 2020! My husband's 50th birthday was on July 25 so he took a week off work and we spent time hiking and exploring. Mt. Rainier National Park is within driving distance so we decided to head that way. Oh my goodness! It's gorgeous! We tried to visit once about 15 years ago when my brother-in-law lived in Washington but the mountain was hidden behind clouds. The only time we saw it was on our flight home, when we finally broke above the clouds. It was showing off for us on this visit! Wildflowers were in bloom everywhere! We even saw a couple of bears (from a safe distance), some marmots, and even one pika! My husband was thrilled with this birthday! Wildflower meadowMt. Rainier with Myrtle Falls Posted: I Should Have Honor: A Memoir of Hope and Pride in Pakistan by Khalida Brohi--4 Stars The Book of Awesome: Snow Days, Bakery Air, Finding Money in Your Pocket, and Other Simple, Brilliant Things by Neil Pasricha--4 Stars Read: Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young, read by Khristine Hvam Currently Reading: Hard Rain by Irma Venter, translated by Elsa Silke Malorie by Josh Malerman, read by Cassandra Campbell Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen--I ran out of time on this library check-out so I'm on the waiting list again. Hiking Oregon's History: The Stories behind Historic Places You Can Walk to See by Michael L. Sullivan--I had to return this book before finishing it but I placed a hold on it so that I can continue it when it's available again. Watching: We haven't started streaming it yet, but we are really excited about season 2 of The…

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August 2, 2020

The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha: Book Review

I needed this book in my life right now. I don't even know how to follow that up without hijacking this review into my own political soapbox, so for future reference, I'll just note that we're in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and may George Floyd rest in peace. I pray for justice and meaningful societal changes for him and [...]

I Should Have Honor by Khalida Brohi: Book Review

I was a bit familiar with the practice of honor killings and was of course appalled by them. The patriarch of a family apparently has complete discretion to order a woman in the family to be killed if she brings dishonor on the family. In the examples in the book, this usually comes about when a "woman" (usually barely past [...]