I loved Rutkoski’s Kronos Chronicles series, and her ability to create a believable fantasy world holds true. Can you sense the “but” coming? But….I thought The Winner’s Curse indulged in YA romance tropes, when I know she can do more interesting things with relationships. Kestrel and Arin have a definite Romeo-and-Juliet vibe going on, since he is her purchased slave, but their feelings for each other felt too inevitable. Is that a weird complaint? Neither of them seemed to really care about the social implications of their feelings for the enemy, even if their internal dialogue begs to differ. Continue reading
Author: Trish
Keeping Busy in Dallas
I was not prepared for Dallas to feel so much like home. This stop has really messed with my ideas of My Ideal Future, and the role a certain Texan city might have in them.
On Thursday night, Sanjay said, “Take a deep breath. Now…do you think you could take us to the airport tomorrow morning at 5:00?” When I agreed, Chrisette said, “I can’t wait to see how you function before the sun comes up!”
I functioned well enough, driving them to DFW without accident. We talked during the 20 drive, and at some point Sanjay said, “Blah blah blah–when we’re in Greece next year.”
“WHAT?” I said.
Chrisette laughed. “I guess we thought it was so obvious we would visit you that we forgot to tell you we’ve already bought tickets. We’re going to Athens during the kids’ spring break.”
How crazy that I found this amazing family by “chance” on care.com. We’re going to hang out internationally, AND they let me stay at their house while they vacationed in Portland. Continue reading
Sunday Summary #4: What’s on the Internet
This week I fell in love with Tom Hiddleston (again), some nerdy news surfaces, and a scientific approach to faith. Click “Read More” to check out these Internet marvels for yourself!
Letters Between Friends: THE BEAUTY IN ENDINGS
Last week Lindsay wrote to me about her epiphany that there is beauty in anticipation.
This week I wrote to her about the beauty of endings. Check out my letter on her blog!
Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
I couldn’t finish it. It was a fast read, and I got to page 129 (chapter 15), but I just had zero interest in reading more. Which is a real shame, because I loved Sanderson’s Mistborn. In that novel, he clearly showed that he could write women with complexity, but Steelheart was one big boy-book borefest. And when I say it’s a boy book, I am flabbergasted that I didn’t like it, because I’m a huge fan of Fight Club, Percy Jackson, Star Wars…all the boy things. Continue reading
Back in Dallas: Reunited with Anju and Ketan
I did not expect how much being back in Dallas would feel like coming home. Four months isn’t that long, but a lot has happened since I moved at the end of June! I was unprepared for the massive nostalgia of being back. I could drive on auto-pilot, I had my go-to bank to make some fundraising check deposits, and my library card still worked when I needed to waste a little extra time. This is my home. It’s going to be too short of a stay, I can already tell.
At 6:00 I pulled into the driveway behind Sanjay and followed him inside the house. Ketan greeted me with a massive smile and a hug, and I said, “It’s weird how not-weird this feels!” Anju and Chrisette came home, and my Dallas family/bosses was complete! Once again, it felt like nothing had changed. Continue reading
What Are You Reading Wednesday #WAYRW (6)
What Are You Reading Wednesdays #WAYRW is a weekly feature started on It’s A Reading Thing. Everyone is welcome to participate. You can answer the questions in the comments section of the weekly #WAYRW post or link back to your #WAYRW post on your blog via the link up. You can grab the image above or create your own, just please make sure you link back to IART as the host for this meme.
How to participate:
Grab the book you are currently reading and answer three questions:
1. What’s the name of your current read?
2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a couple of sentences.
3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?
1. What’s the name of your current read?
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a couple of sentences.
Talat [a wounded war horse] followed her. When she stopped, or grabbed a tree limb for balance, he moved a step or two away and dropped his nose to the ground and lipped at whatever he found there. When she moved on, he picked up his head and drifted after her. On the third afternoon since finding the recipe she was still pacing, not only because she was a slow thinker, but because her four-legged shadow with the dragging hind foot intrigued her. It was on the third day that when she put her hand out to steady herself against the air a horse’s neck insinuated itself under her outstretched fingers. She let her hand lie delicately on his crest, her eyes straight ahead, ignoring him; but when she took another step forward, so did he.
3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?
Yes! How fun to live in a world of magic and dragons! I like McKinley’s slow burn fantasy worlds, and hanging out in the royal court with Aerin and Tor would be so much fun.
A Change In Plans
A couple weeks ago I decided to cancel my flights and make this road trip a true road trip. Back when I was planning #32DaysInMyCar, I thought it would be fun to mix things up and fly from Memphis to Dallas and back. Later I realized that this would mean extra planning, like renting a car in Dallas and finding people to drop me off and pick me up from the airport in both cities. Compared to the simplicity of just taking my car and having freedom all the time, it was an easy choice to cancel the flights and start dreaming about using my $82 at Southwest some other time.
The last few trips (Birmingham to Nashville, Nashville to Jackson, Jackson to Memphis) have been less than so short! I was really quite sad about not having any more massive driving trips ahead, so this way I get a 7 hour trip and a 10 hour trip back in my life! Turns out this month has just solidified my love of alone time with audiobooks and not eliminated it.
So today I am driving to Dallas, which is just 6 1/2 hours away from Memphis. I get to take all my stuff and go where I want at my own pace! FREEDOM.
Last Day in Memphis
On my last day in Memphis, I spent the day being mentally and preparationally productive, but the only concrete evidence that I did anything was a load of laundry. Eventually Mallory came home, though, and she and Jenna and I went out to eat at Casablanca, a Mediterranean restaurant with the MOST delicious tea made from Earl Grey, ginger, sage, and honey.
After dinner, we went to the Rec Room, which is a massive warehouse turned into a game center. Katelyn joined us, and we played foosball and 80s arcade games. It was especially great, because most of the games were free. I would never have spent real money to practice Donkey Kong, but when it’s free, I can waste ALL THE TIME. I hated Ms. Pac-Man, liked Donkey Kong, and loved Galaxian. Not that I really got all that good at any of them. Continue reading
Post Office Visits and Neurotically Healthy Arguments (A Busy Day, Clearly)
Yesterday I spent the morning doing an online fundraising meeting, and my coach encouraged me by reframing my need ($9,000) as needing just eight people to donate at $100/month. That’s so doable! So…anyone want to donate $100/month for just one year?
I met Ashley at her apartment around 11:00. She was my Craig 3 sister during my freshman year of college, and she’s always up for a reunion, which I appreciate. She and her husband Stephen recently had baby Adeline, so I got to snuggle her a little bit before passing her off to her mom. “In just a couple years she’s going to hit the bratty stage,” Stephen said.
“That’s when I start liking them!” I said. Stephen looked at me strangely.
“Tricia is the friend who I’m trading babies with. I’ll raise both of our kids until they’re five, and then Tricia raises them until they’re teenagers.”
“Pretty soon you’ll be mine!” I cooed, squeezing Adeline’s toes. Stephen continued to look alarmed, I don’t know why. Continue reading
It Is Trish 