Password-protected posts contain heavy spoilers and are there to prevent accidental spoiling. They can each individually be accessed with the password "SPOILME(#of the post)". That means if the post is numbered #0000, the password is SPOILME0000 - SPOILME all in caps, no space in between.
Enter at your own risk. And have fun!
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books on my Spring 2024 TBR
Well, it’s time for the Spring 2024 TBR list! I only finished 4/10 of my Winter 2023-2024 TBR list, so if I was a good girl, I would’ve brought them forward to this list. But I’m not a good girl, and the heart wants what the heart wants, when the heart wants it.
Disclaimer: This Spring 2024 TBR list is non-binding and I reserve the right to change my mind and this list at any time.
I would like to finish all of these if I can because at the time of compiling this list, I assure you, I am very excited for all of them, but I am constantly distracted by new and shinier books all the time, so we’ll see how I end up doing!
Top Ten Books on my Spring 2024 TBR
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett – Because I loved the first book and want to continue with any and all sequels!
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree – Same as above, and even more so because I love it so much!
The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin – I’ve read two of the author’s books and loved them. I’m sure I’ll love this one too.
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson – It sounds so intriguing and I must know what everyone is raving about!
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed – I need this book, it sounds right up my alley. It gives me chills! In a good way.
Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman – This would be a reread, but I’ve been wanting to reread the whole series.
Funny Story by Emily Henry – I am very, very, impatiently waiting for this one to be released!
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie – My online book club seems to be having a disagreement about whether this book is good or not, and we are required to choose sides, so I have to read it before making my decision!
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – A story set in Malaysia, written by a Malaysian author. I must support my countrywoman, and besides, the book sounds really good!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What’s on your Spring 2024 TBR?
She’s got his back. He’s got her heart. They’ve got a secret. What could possibly go wrong?
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with her bare hands. But the truth is, she’s an elite bodyguard and she’s just been hired to protect a superstar actor from his stalker.
Jack Stapleton’s a Hollywood heartthrob – captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, rising out of the waves in clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah – against her will and her better judgment – finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover.
Protecting Jack should be easy. But protecting her own heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done…
I’ve been seeing a lot of praise for Katherine Center in general and this book in particular. I also needed a fun book to get me out of a reading slump, and this one fit the bill.
The Quotes
“I guess there really is something profoundly healing about letting somebody love you.”
“Maybe love isn’t a judgment you render – but a chance you take. Maybe it’s something you choose to do over and over. For yourself and everyone else.”
“People who want to be famous think it’s the same thing as being loved, but it’s not. Strangers can only ever love a version of you. People loving you for your best qualities is not the same as people loving you despite your worst.”
“Every chance you take is a choice. A choice to decide who you are.”
The Characters
I love that Hannah Brooks, the female protagonist, transcends all stereotypes of what a bodyguard should be. I love her as a character, and I love Jack Stapleton too. I love his family so much (his brother was a little bit of a jerk though, but only a little).
You know who I hate? Robby. I hate him so much! And just when I thought I couldn’t hate him more, guess what? Yep, I hate him more!
I did wish that some of the characters were more fleshed out; there were a couple of scenes where I felt like some of them were only there as plot devices, and that they weren’t given fair representation, but overall, they were all interesting enough, and I loved the two main characters together, which is the whole point for this story!
My Thoughts
Fake dating? Check. Banter? Check. Only one bed? Check. All the fun tropes!! Plus I really, really love banter in a budding romance.
I love that the female protagonist is the bodyguard, and the male protagonist is the one who needs protecting. It was really cool seeing Hannah be a badass and do her job while also allowing the story to move the romance along. I thought the balance between male and female, masculine and feminine, yin and yang, was just so perfect here.
I also love that the author was able to write about difficult topics while telling a light-hearted love story. I’ve read one other book from the author, What You Wish For, and I remember that was one of the things I loved about that book as well.
My Feels
Honestly, I cannot resist a romance with banter and conversation. It is my biggest weakness and I just swoon whenever I read about how the MCs fall in love through conversation. I loved their conversations so much; how they got to know each other, and trusted each other enough to talk about the vulnerable things. It keeps me reading and wanting more!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars. It’s so much fun and it got me through a reading slump!
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings.
Good Food, Good Week
I made dim sum from scratch last week! I made a bunch of siu mai and crispy wontons and they were delicious. My husband made stewed pork hock too for the first time and it was pretty good. There was no special occasion except to feed our cravings. It might have backfired because now I’m craving them even more!
I know the pictures are kind of brown, but we made veggie dishes too; we had steamed okra and shiitake mushrooms, I just didn’t take pictures of them because I was more excited about these ones! I’ll be sure to take better pictures next time.
We watched a couple of movies; Argylle and Ricky Stanicky. They were both really cheesy, but just so much fun! And coincidentally, John Cena acts in both of them. I promise we didn’t watch either shows just because of him, but his performance on Ricky Stanicky was really something. I especially loved him in his Britney Spears costume!
I am also taking a page out of several blogs I’ve seen do this happiness/gratitude list thing. I haven’t been mindful about all the good things happening in my life, so I’d like to start incorporating it into my weekly updates.
All the happy things:
My husband finished The Storyteller by Dave Grohl! I’m so happy and I loved that we got to discuss it together!
He asked for recommendations for his next book, and I said The Count of Monte Cristo, and he’s actually willing to give it a try! I’m so excited for him! And for me because then I’ll get to talk about it with him!
We took a walk around the neighborhood because the weather was nice.
I had some chocolate this week! Yum!
My online bookclub is doing a readalong for The Count of Monte Cristo; we had a midpoint discussion for the book yesterday and it was fun!
I made cookies!
Books I read last week:
I finished The Bodyguard by Katherine Center in two days! Yayy! So it did kind of get me out of my slump, and then I started reading The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo next. It completely lived up to expectations and more. I loved the story so much! I haven’t written reviews for either of these books yet, but I’ll do it soon!
The Count of Monte Cristo is ongoing because of the readalong, and I’m enjoying it more because of hearing other readers’ thoughts. I am also really enjoying Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday right now. As of this writing I am 72% in, but I’m sure that by the time you read this, I’d have finish the book because I fully intend on going back to reading it after I finish writing this post!
I have the final book in The Checquy Files, Blitz by Daniel O’Malley, ready for me on audiobook, so I’ll be reading that. I also intend to start The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell before the end of the week for my book club’s BOTM.
How was your week? I hope you had a great week last week, and I hope you have a great one again this week!
It’s Time Travel Thursday! Hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog, this is where you get to take a look back at what you were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and get to relive those bookish memories!
This time last year I was reading:
Sadie by Courtney Summers
A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial-like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.
Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.
But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.
When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.
Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.
My thoughts: I’ve liked Courtney Summers’ books before but I wasn’t sure about this one at first. I ended up loving it. It’s good in so many ways, and it hits so hard in the feels. I don’t even know where to begin with all the emotions I felt. It started slow at first, and I was distracted with real life stuff so I wasn’t paying a lot of attention, but as we went along, I got more and more invested. The ending got me still thinking about it. Ugh, my heart.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Have you read this book? What did you think of it? What were you reading this time last year?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books I’m Worried I Might Not Love as Much the Second Time Around
I love to reread and most of the time I enjoy the books just as much, if not more, on the second/nth read. However, there are a few books I used to love that haven’t aged well and/or that I’m worried I might not like the next time I read them (Gone With The Wind, and Mists of Avalon), but I can’t think of enough to make a top ten list, so I have decided to go with the Top Ten Books I Love to Reread instead.
Most of these are books I’ve reread multiple times, some of them even in the double digits. There are a few more books I love to reread as well, but these are my favorite comfort reads.
Top Ten Books I Love to Reread
The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie – This is probably the most underrated one on my list, and the most read. For a time, ever since I read the book for the first time as a pre-teen, I would reread it every year for many years. I’ve lost count but I’m sure it’s been at least 10 times, probably closer to 20. It’s a book set in ancient Roman and Germanic times, with a badass female protagonist, and it’s one I always recommend any time I can.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – I’ve also lost count on this one, I’m currently rereading it on what might be the 9th or 10th time, I’m not sure. It’s one of my favorite classics and somehow despite the intensity and subject matter, it’s a comfort read.
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins – I remember the first three times I read this series was first on physical copy, then e-book, then audiobook. After that, the rereads were mostly on audio, but I love it every single time and keep getting something out of it.
Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster – This is such a sweet and comforting book. It’s a shorter book, and filled with illustrations, and just a nice read for whenever I need a comfort snack. I’ve read it more times than the others simply because it’s so easy to pick up and read quickly.
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – Another sweet and comforting book. I very hardly reread the rest of the series for some reason, but I always enjoy this first one.
On Writing by Stephen King – I have read this book on print, and have a hardcopy of it, but it’s just better when you listen to it on audio with the author himself narrating. It really feels like he’s a friend talking to you and it’s so inspiring to listen to. I respect his work ethic and his approach to writing so much. Sometimes when I’m in between audiobooks and if this one is available, I borrow it just to listen to his voice lull me to sleep.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – I probably wouldn’t classify this horror story as a comfort read, but it’s one of my favorite stories to come back to when I want a chill down the spine. I don’t come back to it as often as the other ones on this list, but I love that this is a story about flawed humans (and monsters). I get so much out of it, and more, every time I read it.
Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck – This particular book has the dubious honor of being my favorite, most-read book that I’ve never finished. I don’t see it as a dnf, but as one of the best stories that should’ve ended sooner than it did. I love this book from beginning until 99% of it and I just never finished the last few pages, even with all my rereads! Maybe on my next reread, but I don’t feel a need to read the last 1%, so we’ll see.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown – Technically, I read and reread all of Brene Brown’s works indiscriminately, because they’re all just so good. She also tends to repeat her stories in many of her talks/videos/platforms and I love hearing them over and over again because they inspire me and make me feel less alone. Her works are lifesavers, and I read them any time I need a boost.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – I’ve probably done the 12-week course three times (or 2.5 times, I don’t remember if I finished the third), but I listen to the audio every once in a while without doing the exercises, and there was a time when I was taking walks every night while listening to this audio. It’s one of my favorite memories because I was going through something, and just listening to this book helped me get my mind off things and gave me so much peace.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read or reread any of these books?
Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings.
TV Binges and Reading Slumps
I’m still sneezing a little but feeling much better than the week before. The weather has also gotten warmer, which is lovely, and I hope it lasts! I’m itching to go outside and take some long walks without feeling miserable and cold.
One of the best things about cold weather is cozy reading days, but I’ve been in a reading slump so I didn’t get to enjoy that. I did end up watching a lot of TV, however. I’ve been binging on 9-1-1: Lone Star and I’m on the second season now. I didn’t know that it was a spin-off, I’ll probably watch the other one once I’ve finished this.
My husband and I also watched Poor Things last week, and it was so good. They totally deserve every single one of the awards they won! I love that it was able to be both funny and profound. I love that it’s such a different take on the Frankenstein phenomenon, almost complete opposites but still such a commentary on beauty. Would Bella have been as well received if she had been subjectively hideous as Frankenstein’s monster was? I also love the commentary on societal expectations, and how shame is also subject to those expectations. There is so much to be gotten from this movie. It’s just really good!
Books I read last week:
It’s been a slow week for me with reading, I feel like I’m in a bit of a slump. I technically finished two books; A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross, and Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry, but I had finished them both by Monday, and I haven’t really gotten my head into anything else.
I’ve been reading The Count of Monte Cristo, and Fairy Tale by Stephen King for two readalongs, but they are both rereads so I’m not champing at the bit to find out what happens. I joined the readalongs because I was excited about discussions and seeing what other people thought, and I still am excited about that, but I also feel like I need something new to get me going, so I started reading The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. I just started it so I can’t say if it will get me out of my slump, but so far, so good!
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”
So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.
In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.
I’m a fan of the TV show Friends, and Chandler was always my favorite character. I don’t read a lot of biographies, so I didn’t feel a need to read this one when it came out, especially since there were some less than great comments about it. But there were also some good reviews, and after he passed away last year, I thought I should give it a chance.
The Quotes
“When someone does something nice for someone else, I see God. But you can’t give away something you don’t have. So, I try to improve myself daily. When those moments come and I am needed, I’ve worked out my shit, and do what we are all here for, which is simply to help other people.”
“I’m not the biggest fan of confrontation. I ask a lot of questions. Just not out loud.”
“I am me. And that should be enough, it always has been enough. I was the one who didn’t get that. And now I do. I’m an actor, I’m a writer. I’m a person. And a good one at that. I want good things for myself, and others, and I can continue to work for these things. There is a reason I’m still here. And figuring out why is the task that has been put in front of me. And it will be revealed. There is no rush, no desperation. Just the fact that I am here, and I care about people, is the answer. Now when I wake up, I wake up curious, wondering what the world has in store for me, and I for it. And that’s enough to go on.”
“And have you ever stood on the water’s edge and tried to stop the wave? It goes on regardless of what we do, regardless of how hard we try. The ocean reminds us that we are powerless in comparison.”
The Narrator
Matthew Perry himself. It was nice to hear him tell his story in his own voice. I thought he came across very honest and genuine.
My Thoughts
Matthew Perry is Chandler. They both have the difficult childhood, the addictive personalities, insecurities with women, the need for attention and to be the funniest guy in the room. The difference is that Matthew never got the happy ending Chandler did, and all the things they went through might’ve been funny on a sitcom, but not so much in real life. Matthew’s addictions were also bigger and more terrible.
There were many instances in the book where Matthew came across as a not so good guy, but what I liked about it was that he was honest. He didn’t like himself very much a lot of the time, and he also regrets a lot of the things he did, but he was true to the story of his life, and he bared it all in this book.
My Feels
I feel so much compassion for him. He was in so much pain throughout the course of his life from such a young age, and even at the peak of his career, he never found peace. The book ended well, with a lot of hope for the future, and I feel like he didn’t have a lot of time to see that through. He wanted to be remembered as more than his role in Friends, and even though his work in Friends is what I loved most about him, this book has allowed me to get to know the real him a little more. I see you, Matty. Thank you for being a Friend.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Jack Tamerlaine hasn’t set foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind; plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instil fathomless fear. The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard’s music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.
As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.
I had this book on my TBR, but I moved it up the list because my friends were doing a buddy-read for it and I was enticed!
The Quotes
“I once thought home was simply a place. Four walls to hold you at night while you slept. But I was wrong. It’s people. It’s being with the ones that you love, and maybe even the ones that you hate.”
“There is no failure in love, and I have loved without measure. In this, I am complete.”
“Our hands can steal, or they can give. They can harm, or they can comfort. They can wound and kill, or they can heal and save. Which will you choose for your hands Torin?”
“You have become more to me than mere words spoken on a midsummer night.”
The Characters
Jack, Adaira, Sidra, and Torin. These are the main characters, and I love them because of how interesting they are to the story, not necessarily because they are lovable characters. Sidra is my favorite out of them all because I find her to be strong, mysterious, and just fascinating. I love that she’s so strong in her beliefs and convictions, I love that she’s independent, and how connected she is with nature and the spirits. I also love her character arc and the lessons she learns.
The other characters are interesting too, but not necessarily characters I love. I love their roles in the story and the parts they play. I love their arcs too, and the lessons they learn. This is a duology, so I expect that there’s more to come, and I’d like to get to know all of them better and see them grow.
My Thoughts
The start was a little slow for me, and I found it difficult to get into. It didn’t hold my interest and every time I put it down, it was hard to pick it back up. I kept going because it was a buddy read and that motivated me. The second half was a lot better, more exciting, and it went a lot faster. I had some problems with the plot, I felt like it could’ve been done better, and I didn’t really like how things were resolved in the end. However, I realize it’s a duology and there’s more to come.
The saving grace here is the characters. I am a character-driven reader, and while the plot bothered me, the characters and their stories were interesting enough to keep me invested. They aren’t the best characters, mind you, but they are interesting, and I love seeing them navigate their world and their roles in it.
My Feels
My favorite parts were seeing the relationships between the characters. Not just the romantic ones, but also the familial ones. It was heartwarming to see how the different relationships developed, and the communication they had with each other.
My Rating
3/5 stars. I really like it, but it doesn’t quite hit the spot.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.
On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid–a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.
I’ve been seeing so many recommendations for the Murderbot Diaries everywhere, and always in conjunction with a few other books I’ve loved. Everyone who talks about it says how much they loved it, and it just got to a point where it seemed like everyone has read it except me. So I got on the bandwagon!
The Quotes
“I liked the imaginary people on the entertainment feed way more than I liked real ones, but you can’t have one without the other.”
“Yes, talk to Murderbot about its feelings. The idea was so painful I dropped to 97 percent efficiency. I’d rather climb back into Hostile One’s mouth.”
“You may have noticed that when I do manage to care, I’m a pessimist.”
“All right,” she said, and looked at me for what objectively I knew was 2.4 seconds and subjectively about twenty excruciating minutes.”
The Narrator
Kevin R. Free. He did a great job! No complaints there. My only issue with this being an audiobook is that I often don’t get the characters’ names, and/or location names, mission names, etc., but that’s a common issue with scifi and fantasy and made-up names. I heard the series was good on audio, so I’ll continue it on audio, but I might check out a print copy just to see the names written out.
The Characters
The Murderbot – I don’t think we ever find out its name, unless I missed it. But I love it! It may be a murderbot, but it’s one of the funniest, most relatable characters I’ve ever read about, and ironically, so humanly-flawed! I love it!
The other characters are interesting too, or rather, have the potential to be interesting. Their personalities are quite distinct, but we don’t find out a lot about them. Some readers have criticized this aspect of the book, saying that the characters fell flat, but to me, it seemed like a deliberate decision. We see the story through the Murderbot’s POV, and the Murderbot tells us repeatedly that it doesn’t care to know anything about the other characters. I thought it made perfect sense.
My Thoughts
I’ll be honest and say that half the time I had no idea what was going on in terms of plot. The beauty of this book is in the Murderbot’s thought processes, and again, the Murderbot admits it has no interest in information about the crew or their missions, or anything to do with why it’s there, and it certainly shows through how the story is told. I think that it’s just brilliantly written, how Martha Wells managed to write a story where we don’t get a lot of clear information, but we get to know the Murderbot, and how invested we can become in a story like that.
My Feels
I want more. I started the book knowing that it’s the first book in a series, and I think I might not like it as much if it stopped here because while I enjoyed getting to know the Murderbot, I feel like this book was just an introduction and I need to see its character develop and grow. So I’m looking forward to the next books!
My Rating
4/5 stars. I’m hooked, but I need more!
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Weird or Funny Things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book
I had some trouble with this topic because I couldn’t think of many things I’ve googled because of a book. I think most of my googles might have been boring fact-checks that I don’t remember after because they’re just boring. Which is a problem because the topic specifically states weird or funny things.
However, I’ve cheated by changing my topic to just Things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book, and I went ahead and cheated even more by asking my friends about their weird and funny googles because of books they read, so I could add more to the list. Theirs are definitely weird and funny, and some are NSFW, so I’ve put them under spoiler tags. Read at your own risk!
Things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book
1. Dark Visions by L.J. Smith
I read this series a long time ago and remember being fascinated by the description of the inukshuk. I didn’t actually google at the time I read it, but it stayed with me for so long that I googled it later, and it was the first thing that came to mind with today’s prompt.
The inukshuk
The word “inukshuk” means “in the likeness of a human.” For generations, Inuit have been creating these impressive stone markers on the vast Arctic landscape. Inukshuks serve several functions, including guiding travellers, warning of danger, assisting hunters and marking places of reverence.
2. Bury Me Deep by Christopher Pike
Another one I read a long time ago, but I remember being fascinated by one of the plot points and googling it later.
The bends
Decompression sickness, also called generalized barotrauma or the bends, refers to injuries caused by a rapid decrease in the pressure that surrounds you, of either air or water.
It’s also the name of an album by Radiohead, but that’s got nothing to do with the book. It’s just one of the things that pop up when you google “the bends”.
3. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
More recently I googled how long an octopus could live out of water, and while Marcellus in the book stated he could go 18 minutes, the answer I googled said it was around 20-30 minutes, which is close and totally makes sense.
4. Watership Down by Richard Adams
Full disclosure: I haven’t read this book, but while googling about the book, I found out that Watership Down is actually a place in Hampshire, England.
Watership Down is a hill or a down at Ecchinswell in the civil parish of Ecchinswell, Sydmonton and Bishops Green in the English county of Hampshire, as part of the Hampshire Downs. It rises fairly steeply on its northern flank, but to the south the slope is much gentler.
Now on to my friends’ googles that gave me giggles!
Things My Friends Have Googled Thanks to a Book
5. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
They googled the etymological history of “goal” because they were curious about “jail” vs “goal”. We didn’t get into a deeper discussion about it because we were busy laughing about the other answers.
6. Pod by Laline Paull
NSFW
They googled dolphin vaginas. Apparently in the book, the females were constantly being called “spirals”, which were meant to be disparaging and perhaps the equivalent to the word “cunt”.
I did not read this book, so I have no context to what that referred to. It has made me curious about the book though!
7. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
NSFW
This one is for shark penis. So in the book, the main characters are a husband and wife, and the husband has a condition that would slowly turn him into a shark. I have not read the book, but I was given the impression that there’s reason to be curious about sexual relations between a shark and his human wife, maybe…
I haven’t read this book, but it was on my TBR before this conversation, I swear! Now I want to read it more!
8. The Gentleman’s Gambit by Evie Dunmore
NSFW
And this one is for nipple piercings in a historical setting. What prompted my friend was a bad review for this book where the reader didn’t like it because one of the characters had a nipple piercing and they didn’t think nipple piercings were true to the times. My friend decided to google it, and apparently, it is accurate to the times!
I don’t know the context for this book, but I do know that our ancestors were often a lot more liberal than we give them credit for, so I totally believe it!
I don’t have any more at the moment, but I loved this topic and finding out what my friends have googled. I’m excited to see what everyone else’s answers are too. This topic has definitely made me want to keep better track of what I google because of books, and hopefully the next time we come back to this topic, I’ll have funnier answers!
What weird or funny things have you googled because of a book? I’d love to hear it!
