Emergency Skin

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

A free short story on one of my subscriptions, Emergency Skin is the first book I have read by much beloved contemporary sci-fi author NK Jemison.

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Follow a volunteer and the AI guiding them from within their head, as they return to a long dead planet to replenish materials needed on their new home. The leaders of the new world have promised them this is a routine mission and the volunteer will be rewarded upon their return. They are quickly to find out, not all is as it seems on the dead earth.

I really enjoyed this short story! I still stands out in my mind, several months later. It was definitely one of my favorite reads of 2021 so far. I’m sure that has something to do with Jason Issacs being the narrator. One of the reason that I liked it is that it’s written and therefore read in second person. Isaacs, as the AI guiding the volunteer, talks directly to you. This helps you feel close to the character that you are in the books. Also the secretive and misinformed nature of how that character is treated, makes you weary to the AI in a very specific way. Although brief, this book held a lot of emotion. Reading this definitely made me want to read more NK Jemison. I wonder if all her works draws you in as well as this short story. I highly recommend this books for those who already have a**zon (you can listen to this free as part of your membership!), those who like stories told in second person, and sci-fi readers!

Have you read any NK Jemison? What are you thoughts?

This book is featured in my Jan Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

Woodswoman

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

My mom gave me this beautiful old copy of Woodswomen by Anne LaBastille. Weirdly, my BFF had read it only a few month before so I was to discuss in straightaway.

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When her marriage, her career, and living situation disintegrate in one fell swoop, Anne LaBastille rails against the ordinary life that might be waiting for her, opting instead to move to the Adirondack mountains, build her own house and live completely alone. This is how she becomes a Woodswomen.

Thinking back to this book several months after reading it, I loved it but it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. This books was spoken to me in the same category as The Good Life by Scott and Helen Nearing and other books about sustainability and self sufficiency. Although there are definitely elements of these topics, mostly of self sufficiency, Woodswomen is more a true memoir. Although Anne LaBastille does live on her own and her own terms and although she does right about conservation, she does not live a very sustainable and environmentally conscious lifestyle in any ways. The story of how LaBastille bucks conventional living and makes her own home, with all the trials, fails and accomplishments that entails, is fascinating. And often frustrating. In sharp contrast to how the Nearings go about creating their life, with detailed plans everything thought out, LaBastille plunges ahead with barely a plan let alone detailed “blueprints”. She almost dies, or gets someone else killed, many times,. Her rash actions often cause close to chaos and has to redo many of her initial work. She must make the same mistakes over and over before she gets it right. She is brash and impetuous and head strong. But this impetuousness allows her to live the life she always wanted without getting bogged down by being scared or conjoled into how she should live. Anne’s writing is evocative and compelling and interesting. When she writes about the freezing lake, you shiver. I would highly recommend this book to all those who have dreamed of walking in to the woods and never leaving, adventurers living on their own, people interested in the history of the Adirondacks, those who want to build their own homes and lives.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

This book is featured in my Jan Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

Weekly Video Round Up #13 - 3/1/21 - 3/7/21

3/1 - February Vlog Style Wrap Up | 9 books I read in Feb 2021 |

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos three times a week. I post about creative simple living: books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Here is my February 2021 wrap up, Feb was a really nice reading month for me!

Have you read any of these books? What was you favorite book you read in February?

Books in this video:
Freedom from the Known (19xx) Krisnamurti
The Hunter (19xx) Richard Stark aka Donald Westelake
Carry On Jeeves (19xx) PG Wodehouse
Sharp Teeth (20xx) Tobey Barlow
Thunderstruck (20xx) Erik Larson
The Island of Dr Moreau (18xx) HG Wells
Y The Last Man Vol 1 (2002) Brian K Vaghne and Pai Guerra
Hellboy The Seed of Destruction (1995) Mike Mignola
Each Peach Pear Plum (xxxx) xx and xx

Cats in this video: Irving!

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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3/3 - I Wrote Morning Pages for 30 Days | Not For Me | Journaling Prompts | Slow Living | Productivity

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos three times a week. I post about creative simple living: books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

I started reading the book that started morning pages, so I tried them for 30 days. I was interested to see how I liked them and if they did anything for me. If you are interested, too, keep watching!

Have you done morning pages? What are you thoughts?

Books in this video:
The Artist's Way (1992) Julia Cameron

Channels mentioned:
Lavedaire: https://www.youtube.com/user/Lavendaire
Femmehead: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRxM7IbVgPEOPvi_2qBd3mw

Cats in this video: Irving and Martin

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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3/8 - TBR ASMR 6 | LoFi ASMR | Scratching, page turning, rubbing, tracing, gentle breathing, stacking

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos three times a week. I post about creative simple living: books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

My latest tbr asmr is going up a little late! These are three mysteries from different time periods and all sound different. Lofi book sound asmr.

Have you read any of these? What are your favorite book sounds?

Books in this video:
Cover Her Face (1962) PD James
Fletch (1974) Gregory MacDonald
The Lake District Murders (1935) John Bude

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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Umbrella Academy 3: Hotel Oblivion

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

The third book of The Umbrella Academy, Hotel Oblivion continues to follow the found family created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba.

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Once again scattered, the members of the Umbrella Academy must reunite to prevent a prison break from the mysterious Hotel Oblivion. Chaos ensues, something the team is used to creating as well as vanquishing.

I really like the Umbrella Academy books, but I don’t think they are easy to read comics. They are not comics I would recommend to new comics readers. The art is highly stylized, can be choppy and, in comparison to the show, a lot of the characters look similar which can make them hard to distinguish. The plots are dense, twisting, and confusing. making leaps in understanding and time. That all being said, I really enjoy these books; They are fast paced, bizarre, explore themes of found family, tying your identity to your work, family, or those around you. The books deal with ideas of abandonment, responsibility, and control, and the aimlessness of the realization lack of purpose. This third installment came out 10 years after Volume 2 and I haven’t read it in many years. Hotel left me totally confused and adrift when first picking it up. I mostly blame myself for this, but there was also something about it that rubbed me the wrong way towards the book and reading experience. I do wish that there had been a separate recap, or even within the story, more was done to clue the reader in. Perhaps not a full recap, but more hints dropped. Overall, I did get into the story, even though there were bits I had to just accept that I didn’t really understand. I can’t wait to read more about the Umbrella Academy. I’m also highly anticipating the next season of the show. So far, the show has loosely followed the event of the comics, with the first and second season somewhat corresponding to the first and second books respectively. I’m interested to see if the third season follows the third book and how they adapt the events. I would recommend the three graphic novels, but I would suggest reading them in order and quick succession.

Have you read this comic series?

This book is featured in my Jan Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

Weekly Video Round Up #11 - 2/15/21 - 2/21/21

2/17 - Finally doing the Booktube Newbie Tag!

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos three days a week. I post about creative simple living: books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Here I am finally doing The BookTube Newbie Tag! I waited 5 month to do this tag then rearranged the questions! Some nerve!

Questions:
1. Why did you start this channel?
2. What are some fun and unique things you can bring to Booktube?
3. What are you excited for for this channel?
4. What kinds of books do you read? (originally question 10)
5. What book or series got you into reading?
6. When did you start reading? (8)
7. Why do you love reading? (4)
8. Where do you read? (9)
9. What challenges will you face with this channel? (7)
10. What would you ask your favorite Booktubers? (6)

Booktubers mentioned:
Gabriel Armstrong: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpTfpKWM0tQQ0MG332Q3rPg/videos
Booksandlala: https://www.youtube.com/c/BooksandLala/videos

Cats in this video: none but Marty in the background noise.

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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2/19 - 1 More Month to Zero Waste Check In | Feb 2021 | Declutter Everything! | Youtube recommendations

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos three days a week. I post about creative simple living: books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

In our 1 More Month to Zero Waste Journey, we are in month 2 and we are Decluttering Everything!! Or at least as much as we can! This is our mid month check in and if you need motivation and inspiration here are some awesome youtuber who declutter!!

Declutter reccs:
Racellea :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJCgaQzY5z5sA-xwkwibygw
MuchelleB: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW3yd6NHmEVpSjc5ze2dJe8WrEBmTSUZB
Shannon Torres: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUqV8_zhkfU7xYvoZG70fUQ
Simple Living with Scandish Home: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCai8DYzqppNo4ifXC-DvebA
Ashleyanne Eaton: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNbhFEhIHtcgqf4hBBtPYeQ

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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2/21 - Basement Box Books and Recently Acquired Books | Anti-Haul | Secondhand Books | Zero Waste Booktuber | Backlist Booktuber

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos three days a week. I post about creative simple living: books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Here are some books that I brought up from the basement or got a Free Little Libraries, or thrift shops.

Books mentioned:
Sharp Teeth (2007) Tobey Barlow
The Joke's Over: Ralph Steadman on Hunter S. Thompson (2006) Ralph Steadman
Gonzo (2010) Will Bingley and Anthony Hope-Smith
And Another Thing (2009) Eoin Colfer
Cats Don’t Exist (2004) JIS
The Secret Language of Dreams: A Visual Key to Dreams and Their Meanings (1993) David Fontana
Time Cat (1963) Lloyd Alexander
Thunderstruck (2006) Erik Larson
Each Peach Pear Plum (1978) Janet Ahlberg, Allan Ahlberg
The Lake District Murders (1935) John Bude
The Tiger in the Well (1990) Philip Pullman
A Clockwork Orange (1962) Anthony Burgess
The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts (2007) Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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The Mistletoe Murder

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

Collected postumously and gathered over time, The Mistletoe Murder contains four short stories by PD James.

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Collecting four short stories, The Mistletoe Murders contains stories about writers and crime, a young Adam Dalgliesh and more! Wonderfully encapselating many of James’ signature tropes, this is a great comanion to her novels.

I really loved this book! Each story was it’s own, but reminisced to what I love about PD James’ work. She gives you backstory of her famous detective, pokes fun at writers and mystery murder writers particularly, and she mixes dark murder with her easy-to-read style. Many of James’ books that I have read are dark but I felt that there was something even darker about the stories collected here. I was a little shocked, in fact, by the evil nature contained in one particular story. It is a story that surprised me and I continue to think of it month later. Although some of these stories took place at xmas time and the cover is very festive, there’s no need to read these short stories at the holiday season. I really loved this book and will have to see if PD James’ wrote more short stories because I want to read them! I find that these quick stories are “perfect” to me. They are short but pack a punch and many will stay with me for a long time, I believe. I would highly recommend this book to mystery short stories lovers, James fans, and anyone who wants fast paced, interesting, and short thrillers!

What are your favorite mystery short stories?

This book is featured in my Dec Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

The Big Sleep

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler might be THE classic Noir novel.

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Philip Marlow is a good PI. He does what he needs to to get the job done. When Marlowe is hired by a dying man to investigate a blackmail attempt on his youngest daughter, Marlow must go above and beyond for his client. Again.

I always say that i like noir but I had never read any Chandler. As soon as I started reading I could see why he is iconic! I was shocked that this was a debut novel! I was surprised at how tight and cinematic this novel was for being writing in the 1930s. It’s also surprisingly funny! The humor reminded me so much of Agatha Christie. Both authors mix the serious topic of murder and crime with a lightness of comedic timing and poking fun at the characters and story, itself. Having never read this novel or seen the movie before, I really had no idea what was going to happen and this mystery had a lot of moving parts and great intrigue. I really liked that Marlowe was a “good guy”. Although he may have to do nasty things, he ultimately has a strong moral code and follows it. Especially in comparison to other noir novels, I liked how little misogyny and anti women sentiment there was. Now, there are still very problematic words, thoughts and ideas in this book, mostly due to it’s time and place in history. And I’m not saying there is NO misogyny, but there was less then I expected. I did feel that the first half of this novel was much stronger than the second part. There was a few middle bits that lagged compared to the beginning and there was less of a clear path or clear writing. Despite that uneveness, I really enjoyed this novel and can’t wait to read more Chandler. I would highly recommend this book for wanyone who likes noir novels or movies, people who like clasic crime stories, those who like books set in LA and mystery lovers.

Who is your favorite noir writer?

This book is featured in my Dec Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

The Moving Finger

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

The third in the Miss Marple Series, I listened to The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie free on line.

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While recovering from injuries, Jerry Burton retires to a small quaint village in the country with his sistery for company. Peace and quiet is what he’s looking for but when a mysterious poison pen letter arrives, that’s the last thing he gets.

I’m always surprised and delighted at how funny Christie writes. Some of the comedy is totally intended, but some, I think, is unintentional. The interplay between brother and sister and the blossoming unexpected love affairs they each fall into is so funny and silly in this book. How people treat the young woman of the village, treating her as an idiot child, is both intended to be funny and not. Another aspect of the Miss Marple series that I’m surprised by is how little Miss Marple is actually in the books. In the first and second book, she is a peripheral character until she swoops in in the end to solve the mystery. But in tThe Moving Finger she literally isn’t even mentioned for 80% of the book. Only when all else fails and it looks like the mystery will never be solved does she show up and of course, saves the day. Thinking back on this book, over a month later, I barely remember the mystery, but the relationships stick with me. I would highly recommend this book for those who like books about siblings, classic mystery books, books with surprising strong female characters, and of course, stories set in small towns.

Have you read this book? If so, where does it sit with other Christie books you’ve read? Should I do a tier rank for all the Miss Marple books?

This book is featured in my Dec Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

Weekly Video Round Up #8 - 1/25/2021 - 1/31/2021

1/25/2021 - How to Read More Nonfiction | 3 Tips to Read More in 2021 | Booktube and Cats | Backlist Booktuber

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I post about Creative Simple Living; books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Want to read more nonfiction in 2021? Try my three simple steps! Name one nonfiction book you want to read in the comments!

Cats in this video: Martin is a menace.

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...

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1/29/2021 - Trash Audit Check In | 1 More Month to Zero Waste | Recycling Info | Low Impact Movement | Low Waste

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and simple creative living!

We have been getting closer to a Zero Waste Lifestyle, one month at a time. Last month, we took two weeks to audit our trash. Here are my results, how did you do?

1 More Month to Zero Waste: January - https://youtu.be/Gs2W6Ngdl0s

Cats in this video: none

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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1/30/2021 - The BookTube Spin | Round One | 20 Books to Spin! | Backlist Booktuber | Nonfiction

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays. I post about creative simple living, books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Welcome to The Booktube Spin! Created by Rick Macdonell, the rules are simple:
Pick 20 books on your TBR to read
Number each book (choose themes if you want to break them up)
Put that list up on social media
Check back in on Jan 31st too see what number the spin lands on
Read that book by March 31st!

Rick’s Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGujr-dBMVw&t=0s
and here is his list:

I broke my list into categories so let’s take a look.
BookTube Spin 2021 List
(intimidating)
1- The Private Patient (2008) PD James
2 - Big Bang, A Novel (2019) David Bowmen
3 - Be Here Now (1971) Ram Dass
4 - Witches of Eastwick (1984) John Updike
(modern classics)
5 -Our Man in Havana (1962) Graham Greene
6 - The Pearl (1947) John Steinbeck
7 - Starship Troopers (1959) Robert Heinlein
8 - Carry On Jeeves (1925) PG Wodehouse
(mysteries/thrillers)
9 - A Murder is Announced (1950) Agatha Christie
10 - The Maltese Falcon (1929) Dashiell Hammet
11 - Rebecca (1939) Daphne De Muriexx
12 - Mad Mouse (2006) Chris Grubenstein
(nonfiction)
13 - Mr Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonders (1995) Lawrence Weschler
14 - Salt (2002) Mark Kurlansky
15 - Dead Wake (2015) Erik Larson
16 - Continuing the Good Life (Maine) (1979) Scott and Helen Nearing
(short stories/collections)
17 - The Salmon of Doubt (2002) Douglas Adams
18 - Flappers and Philosophers (1920) F Scott Fitzgereld
19 - Japanese Fairy Tales (1903) Edited by Philip Smith
20 - The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1961) Ernest Hemingway

Cats in this video: no cats today

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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Weekly Video Round Up #7 - 1/18/21 - 1/24/21

1/18 - Shelf or Toss Books I Read in 2020 | Unhaul | Bookshelf Organization | Backlist Booktuber

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Books in this video:
All of them!

Cats in this video: Martin!

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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1/20 - Booktube Tag | Reading Habits Tag | Backlist Booktuber

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Today we have the Reading Habits Tag!! Stick around bc all the cats show up! I'm not sure who is the originator of this tag but the first I could find was Ariel Bissett here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A700s47V0hQ

Please do this tag bc I would love to find out where you read, how you read and what you eat while reading!

The Reading Habits Tag
1. Do you have a specific place at home for reading?
2. Bookmarks or random pieces of paper?
3. Can you stop reading anywhere in the book?
4. Can you eat or drink while reading?
5. Multitasking; music or TV while reading?
6. One book at a time or several at once?
7. Reading at home or everywhere?
8. Reading out-loud or silently in your head?
9. Do you read ahead/skip pages?
10. Break the spine or keep it like new?
11. Do you write in your books?

Books in this video: Red Dwarf (1989) Grant Naylor

Cats in this video: Irving! Flounder! Martin!

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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1/22 - Mad Cat Capsule Wardrobe | Winter Capsule Wardrobe (Jan, Feb, Mar) | Capsule Flip Thru | Slow Fashion | Second Hand

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I post about Creative Simple Living; books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Here is a quick flip through of my Winter Capsule Wardrobe. All of my Capsule is slow fashion and you can learn more about it here: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog/2021...

Find my Fall flip through here: https://youtu.be/Cy5Qwfczg80

Do you keep a Capsule Wardrobe?

Cats in this video: Martin and Flounder

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...

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Buried

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I found this short story, Buried by Jeffery Deaver, free from a subscription I have. It was read by JD Jackson.

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“Fitz” Fitzgerald is getting older. He can’t get used to new digital media, he doesn’t like it, and he’s almost ready to retire. But when the Grave Digger, the vile kidnapper, returns, Fitz is pulled in for one more story.

Jeffery Deaver is best known for the bone collector books which were adapted to a film with Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington. I didn’t know that when I started this Audio Book. I picked it up only bc it seemed interesting. And it was free. And it was short. Audio books can be hard to keep my attention and this book definitely suffered bc I didn’t just sit and listen to it all in one go. This book basically has two halves, and two lead characters. The first half, where our first main character is exploring his own obsoletion, and where he is inspired to make a difference one last time, and also where he is the detective in the story, was really interesting to me. The second half was like a separate book, flipping everything from the first part of the story. It was an interesting idea, and I think Deaver carried it out well. But the major break really took me out of the flow of the story. It didn’t help that I also somehow unknowingly also took a break from listening right at that point and was completely confused when I returned to the book. In the end the mystery didn’t really go where I was hoping and the breaking apart of the narrative really added to my disappointment. Overall, I would recommend this short story if you like books about writers or journalists, thrillers, or multi perspective mysteries.

Have you read any any of Jeffery Deaver’s books?

This book is featured in my Dec Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

Weekly Video Round Up #6 - 1/11/2021 - 1/17/2021

1/11 - 5 Favorite & Five Least Favorite Books of 2020 | 2020 in Review |

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

It was pretty hard to pick the top five and bottom five books of 2020!! Have you read any of the books I mention here?

What was your favorite and least favorite book on the year?

Books in this video:
The Wild Places (2007) Robert Macfarlane
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) Ray Bradbury
Little House in the Suburbs (2012) Deanna Caswell and Daisy Siskins
Basquiat (1997) Pheobe Hoban
The Long Legged Fly (1992) James Sallis
Notes from a Small Island (1995) Bill Bryson
Circus in the Woods (2001) Bill Littlefield
The Old Country (2005) Mordicai Gerstein
Eating Wildly (2014) Ava Chin
Murder at the Vicarage (1930) Agatha Christie
Dayworld (1985) Philip Jose Farmer
Man in the Dark (2008) Paul Auster
Dune (1975) Frank Herbert
Loafing Down Long Island (1921) Charles Hanson Towne
Through a Glass, Darkly (1950) Helen McCloy
The Good Life (1952) Scott and Helen Nearing
The Quiet American (1955) Graham Greene
The Crying of Lot 49 (1966) Thomas Pynchon

Cats in this video: Martin!

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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1/13 - 2021 Zero Waste Challenge | One More MOnth to Zero Waste | Part One: Trash Audit!

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

This is the start of my 2021 Zero Waste series, 1 More Month of Zero Waste! You can follow along with this series any time you find it!

For our first month we are doing a trash audit. Divide your trash in whatever way helps you see what trash you generate and where you can cut down on your waste. We will do this for two weeks and see what this challenge tells us!

Join us today or any time, by watching this video figuring out how you want to track your trash and checking the playlist below for the next challenge. Make sure yo leave any questions and what you will be tracking in the comments below!

Cats in this video: Martin, sorta.

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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1/15 - Small December Painting | Paint with Me | Watercolor Painting

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

For the last few years, I made weekly goals and to accompany them, I would make a little piece of art. Here is my last weekly goals painting for December 2020. I use Prang Watercolors and I bought this notebook second hand.

Cats in this video: no time for cats.

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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Magpie Murders

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

After reading his take on Sherlock Holmes I was excited tio read more from Anthony Horowitz, and luckily I already owned Magpie Murders!

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Susan Ryland, an editor and publisher of mystery novels, sits down to read the latest book draft from her star writer. She never imagines the twists and turns this new mystery will take her on, both while reading and in real life!

After the first chapter of this book, you start reading another book! The first book you are reading is a mystery. The book within a book that you are reading is a mystery. The book within a book is a knock off off a famous belgian private investigator that we know and love. The more I read, the more obvious and blatant the homage became. And the more I read, the more I was confused as to how this book was going to tie into the original book. The main character, a book editor and publisher, tells you right off that this second book is important and the cataylst to the larger mystery of the first book. So now you have two mysteries, one that you can’t see and one that you haven’t read. Sound frustrating? It is. I found in the end, it was worth it, but I felt it took a long time to get there. I like the idea of a book within a book, I like the characters and side plots, I like the descriptions. My favorite part of this book may have been the fun it poked at the book industry. I don’t work in the book industry but this has become one of my favorite devises this year. I love when writers make fun of writers, editors, and publishers. I’m excited for the next in this series, which I believe comes out in 2021. I wonder what form it will take, could it be another book within a book? I would recommend this book to those who are Agatha Christie fans, or fans of homages to her, fans of straightforward “cozy” style mysteries, and readers who aren’t mad about guessing the ending of a book.

Have you read Magpie Murders?

This book is featured in my Dec Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

Weekly Video Round Up #5 - 1/4/2021 - 1/10/2021

1/4 - December Reading Wrap Up | Last Wrap Up of 2020 | 9 Books in Dec |

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Here we have the 9 books I read in December 2020.

Books in this Video:
The Infinite Blackop (2018) Sara Gran
Eating Wildly: (2014) Ava Chin
Ghosts of Cape May (1988) xx and xx
It’s Fine By Me (1995) Per Petterson
Magpie Murders (2014) Anthony Horowitz
The Moving Finger (1942) Agatha Christie
Buried (2020) Jeffery Deaver
The Big Sleep (1939) Raymond Chandler
The Mistletoe Murders (Collected in 2016) PD James

Infinite Blacktop, Eating Wildly, Ghost Stories of Cape may and It’s fine by me can all be seen in mytwo 1000 Doors Readathon Vlogs:
The rest can be seen in my Cloak and Dagger Christmas Readathon Vlogs: xx and one coming soon!

Cats in this Video:

Original Music in this video:

1/6 - BxxKmas 2020 Wrap Up | Cloak and Dagger Christmas Wrap Up |

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Finally we are at the last BxxKmas Vlog, the last vlog of 2020, and the end of Cloak and Dagger Christmas! In this vlog, I read 4 short stories, finish 6 (or 9 depending how you look at it!) prompts to make Police Detective, watch some street construction, take a nap, see some xmas trees, take a walk, thank a bunch of people, and look at the rain.

What was the end of 2020 like for you?

Books in this video:
The Infinite Blackop (2018) Sara Gran - Billard Room
Magpie Murders (2014) Anthony Horowitz - Library/Study
The Moving Finger (1942) Agatha Christie -Kitchen/Lounge
Buried (2020) Jeffery Deaver - Hall
The Big Sleep (1939) Raymond Chandler - Conservatory
The Mistletoe Murders (Collected in 2016) PD James - Dining Room/Ballroom

Cloak and Dagger Christmas Readathon:
Hosts: Kate Howe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgcj...
Carolyn from Carolyn’s Reading Ramblings Kate from The Novel Nomad: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Tw...
Janelle from Too Fond of Books:

Clue Prompts:
1. Study: Associated with your profession, what you studied in college, or a field you'd like to learn about more www.stopyourekillingme.com/JobCats/index.html
2. Library: A book that references books, borrow a book from the library
3. Hall: entry into a new-to-you mystery sub genre or author or series
4. Billiard room: [cue balls] next numbered book in a series, book has a game or sport involved
fantasticfiction.com
5. Conservatory: nature, travel, warm climate
6. Kitchen: cozy food-based mystery, small town mystery
7. Dining Room: closed circle, small group of people, hotel, dinner party
8. Lounge: [cocktails] written or set during the Golden Age (1920s-30s)
9. Ballroom: party

Amateur Sleuth Level: 3 prompts Police Detective Level: 5 prompts Sherlock Holmes Level: 9 prompts

BxxKmas 2020:
1) Dec 2nd - Non Fiction November Vlog: https://youtu.be/vACxBZIhVew
2) Dec 4th - TBR ASMR no. 3: https://youtu.be/YTPm8Vnp3sc
3) Dec 5th - Anti TBR Tag: https://youtu.be/LCvUj-WBNu0
4) Dec 7th - November Wrap Up: https://youtu.be/wd1QYJwUIZM
5) Dec 9th - BxxKmas Vlog 1, 1000 doors readathon: https://youtu.be/CXVIqTGpcKw
6) Dec 12th - LoFi seltzer ASMR: https://youtu.be/FxTKboI8JQ8
7) Dec 13th - Nonfiction Booktube tag: https://youtu.be/UNOqe53w-I0
8) Dec 16th - Reaching My GoodReads Goal in 2020: https://youtu.be/SQyQ-dPlSkI
9) Dec 18th - BxxKmas vlog 2, 1000 doors reasathon wrap up: https://youtu.be/dr9xOg2y_68
10) Dec 19th - Move my bookcase with me: https://youtu.be/9XOKXAUpjoc
11) Dec 20th - 20 books from 2020 that I want to read in 2021: https://youtu.be/2B-1-xsbn1U
12) Dec 22nd - BookTube Reflections Tag: https://youtu.be/hiJ6fYrs5c4
13) Dec 23rd - BxxKmas Vlog 3, Cloak and Dagger 1: https://youtu.be/xYL8Jkucg68
14) Dec 26th - Daily Bullet Journal Fill In: https://youtu.be/diKPqNabev8
15) Dec 27th - Bookish and BookTube Goals: https://youtu.be/YjCzDYGE46A
16 ) Dec 31st - BxxKmas vlog 4, Cloak and Dagger 2: https://youtu.be/t3i8wErU4X0
17) Jan 1st - January Bujo Spread:

Cats in this video: Martin!

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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1/8/2021 - TBR ASMR #4 | BookTube ASMR | Lofi, no talking, book scratching, tapping, page turning, brushing

Hi, I’m Mo.
Thanks for joining me today! I post videos on Mondays and Fridays. I post about books, cats, zero waste, bullet journaling, beach life, and more!

Here is a ASMR TBR where I play around with some books I may read and make lofi ASMR. There is no talking in this video but you will hear tapping, scratching, page turning, breathing, and book brushing.

What are your favorite book sounds?

Books in this video:
Woodswoman (1975) Anne LaBastille
Mr. Wilson's Cabinet Of Wonder: Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jurassic Technology (1995) Lawrence Weschler

Cats in this video: none

Original music by audionightlight. https://soundcloud.com/anlight/tracks

Blog: http://www.madcatquilts.com/blog
Instagram: http://instagram.com/madcat1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120401161-ana-mo-shoshin

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It's Fine By Me

One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I’ve read two other Per Petterson books before and really enjoyed them. When I saw It’s Fine by Me used online, I picked it up.

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When Arvid moves with his mother away from the country side and away from his family troubles there, he enters school with the persona of the tough guy. He doesn’t expect to make friends, he doesn’t expect to finish school, and he doesn’t expect his troubles to follow him.

A lot of people goals for reading is to read more translated work. I would say that is a goal for me as well, but I always wonder about translated books: how much is what the author wrote and what the translator interpreted? It’s Fine By Me is the third Per Petterson and I think his writing really shows thru translation. All the books I have read seem to be semi autobiographical. The common themes are young men coming of age, coming to grips with manhood (to varying degrees of success) and accepting their own trauma and the trauma they themselves cause. I think Petterson says a lot about the anger inherent in young men, and how that developes overtime, how men can overcome that or feed into it. Although I would call Petterson’s style of writing “quiet” his books are packed with emotions of anger, frustration, doubt, and hope. His writing, characters and setting really set a mood and transport you to his stories. I like while each of the books I’ve read have had differences, they have also brought me back to that place that is very Petterson, and I believe that is his intent. I would recommend this book to readers that like coming of age stories, stories set in Scandinavia, and books that examine how angry boys grow up.

Have you read any Per Petterson? Who writes your favorite coming of age stories?

This book is featured in my Dec Wrap Up.

More about books here:
BookTube
Goodreads

Cape May Ghost Stories

One of my goals in 2020 (and 2021!) is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

Perhaps I picked up Cape May Ghost Stories by David J Seibold and Charles J Adams III in Cape May? But I’m not sure.

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Mysteries visions, strange noises, cold spells, papers fluttering, objects moving, and other spooky and startling events are only a few stories that are told to two authors when they reach out to find out if historic Cape May is actually haunted.

This book was written in the late eighties but it was fun read about places and land marks that are familiar to me today. Cape May is a Victorian beach town and one of the first beach resort destinations in the history of modern America. It perfectly lends it’s self to ghost stories and according to those in this book there are ghosts and spirits at every turn. Many of these stories are quite flimsy as far as evidence of life beyond the grave, but the spooky and mysterious nature fits in perfectly with the back drop of Cape May. The authors put out a call for people in surrounding areas to come forward with tales of the unknown and it seems there were quite a few to be told. Seibold and Adams tell the stories as it was told to them, sometimes doing additional research. Most of the names and some of the locations have been changed. I really liked how homespun this book is. It feel like friends who are interested in different things and writing books about them, ghost stories being one of those subjects. I would recommend this book to people who like local or small town stories, those interested in supernatural stories, or anyone who has visited and loved Cape May.

What books about local places have you liked?

More about books here:
BookTube
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Eating Wildly

One of my goals in 2020 (and 2021!) is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I picked up Eating Wildly: Foraging for Life, Love, and the Perfect Meal by Ava Chin at a goodwill this year.

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During one of her most difficult and challenging years, Ava Chin discovers her love of foraging and it changes her life forever.

When I picked this up my husband said I wasn’t going to like it. He predicted that this was going to be too much of a self help book, too much of a romance, too cloying. And he was right, for the most part it was not a self help book). Chin shares difficult areas of life: her break up, difficult relationship with her month and father, her grandmother’s failing health, insecurity in work and life as she moved through her 30s. She also shares the joys of discovering foraging and her growing confidence in the subject. Unfortunately the way she conveys this information is disorganized, jumps confusingly in time, and is told in a surprisingly over dramatic way. Her writing is flowery, over descriptive and twee. It’s hard to be so critical of a memoir, bc this not only is someone’s life, but how they want to tell you about it. Even though many aspects of this book were not only disappointing but actually offensive to me, I can’t discount that this is Ava Chin’s story in her own words. That being said, if I can sum up how I felt about this book in three words: overly self indulgent. I appreciate Chin’s difficult childhood, her troubles navigating even the most basic of romantic relationships, her crushing insecurities about work and her own abilities, her self pity and denial of privilege, but I can’t appreciate the sappy and sophomoric way in which she relates these things. What I found most offensive was that despite all the phycological, physical and emotional work she does to over come her difficulties, the only thing that really makes her problems feel solved (to herself) is finding a boyfriend. She takes the reader on a journey of healing, but is the lasting lesson is one is not whole with out a man. I was greatly disappointed that one of the only books I read by an Asian American author in 2020 was a terrible book, especially bc it was a memoir of a mostly interesting life. But I know that is more my short coming at not reading enough diverse authors. I bought Eating Wildly with the idea that I would pass it on to a foraging friend after I was done, but I cannot recommend this book to her or anyone else.

Have you ever gotten a book that you hoped to pass on but decided you couldn’t?

More about books here:
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