Kiesa @kiesa@octodon.social

I just finished _The Tethered Mage_, by Melissa Caruso. It’s a fun #fantasy where a young noblewoman is forced to leave her books and becomes involved in politics. Though, my favorite character in the book is Zaria. I love how she keeps proving she’s smarter than everyone assumes.

I really hate time changes. Still waking up too early and then crashing before my kids are ready for bed.

School called this morning to inform me that my son had thrown up and needed to go home. He was fine by the time I got home and we spent the afternoon playing with #lego (with my youngest “helping” by disorganizing our bins). I can’t shake the feeling that we’re both playing hooky.

Maybe he’ll be “sick” again tomorrow?

I just finished reading _The Bear and the Nightingale_, by Katherine Arden, and it has a very similar feel to Robin McKinley's fairy tale retellings. However, this story doesn't revolve around a HEA romantic relationship (though every single character in this book tries to convince Vasilisa she wants to marry).

That said, my mind kept insisting that Konstantin was really Judge Claude Frollo from Disney's _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_.

Ok . . . not a single trick-or-treater last night. I wasn't expecting throngs but I was hoping for a steady stream. In fairness, we live on a hill and our street was super dark. Apparently, we're a Halloween hostile street.

First Halloween in this neighborhood. I _really_ hope the kids here are into trick-or-treating. I have way too much candy. (Also, Play-doh but I don't feel guilty handing those leftovers over to my kids.)

I just ran across a post from a #librarian on becoming a systems librarian: https://www.hughrundle.net/2017/10/29/how-i-ended-up-here-librarian/

Dumb luck and fear definitely played a role for me too (though not the patriarchy bit). I got an undergrad degree in computer science because it was the fastest way for me to graduate so I could get my MLS. I started at the reference desk but applied for a systems job because the library was discussing reducing the reference staff. Systems librarianship turned out to be the perfect job for me.

Hm, just finished _The Black Thread_. I really wish I’d read the two novellas in the opposite order.

I think _The Red Threads of Fortune_ works well either as a continuation or a standalone novella. However, from a plot perspective, I didn’t feel as much resolution with _The Black Tides of Heaven_. Probably, because I already knew about Eien.

That said, there were a lot of interesting topics that were explored more deeply in this book and cleared up some questions I had.

I just finished reading _The Red Threads of Fortune_ , by Jy Yang, and it’s one of my favorite #fantasy novellas so far this year.

Unfortunately, in retrospect, it looks like I should have read _The Black Tides of Heaven_ first. Oh well, backwards in time I go.

Didn't cook enough ravioli so I made emergency peanut butter cookies to supplement the meal. Yup, we're healthy.

I forgot my book! Now what will I do on my way home tonight? (I have a whole stack waiting to be started but they’re all the same genre and I’m worried I’d end up getting universes confused.)

I just finished _Hunger Makes the Wolf_ by Alex Wells. It’s #scifi with a definite Firefly feel but all the action happens on the planet.

Went on a date night with my husband to Victory Point Cafe in Berkeley to play #boardgames. Lots of fun! Played Patchwork and then two games of 7 Wonders Duel.

Part of my job is doing computer book selection and weeding. Like every library, we have a large number of "For Dummies" books. Today, I ran across _Coding for Dummies_.

My first thought, "Coding isn't for dummies."

Second thought, "But what if you aren't a dummy, you just think you are?"

Followed by "and what if you get confused by this book claiming to be aimed at dummies, even if your intelligence isn't the problem. Will it prevent you from picking up a better alternative?"

I have today off from the work I get paid for and went on a hike after dropping off the kids. Toward the end of this hike a bookstore, BookShop West Portal, abducted me. Among other things, I now own the new _Neverwhere_, illustrated by Chris Riddell, and Lonely Planet Kids' _How Cities Work_.

I really want a map program that lets me specify how far between transit stops I'm willing to walk. I'm perfectly happy to walk more than 1/2 mile if it means a faster overall transit time or fewer transfers. Surely something like this must exist?

Switching gears, I just started reading _Here's the Plan: your practical, tactical guide to advancing your career during pregnancy and parenthood_. This is probably a little late since my oldest is now 8. However, it was suggested on a mom's group forum as having great resources on dividing up household responsibilities.

I just started but am already having to resist the compulsion to highlight vast swaths of the book and then press it on every person considering children.

_River of Teeth_, a novella by Sarah Gailey, ended up on my list of books to read to prep for Hugo nominations next year. I just finished it today and I see the appeal. Cowboys riding hippopotamuses in an alternate US is certainly an interesting setup and it is a well written story.

However, _All Systems Red_, by Martha Wells, is still my favorite novella of the year.

I just finished reading _Jane, Unlimited_ by Kristin Cashore and it was quite an experience. I put the book on hold at the library but had forgotten the reviews (if I read them?) by the time it came in so the setup caught me by surprise.

It's an excellent book but quite different than Cashore's prior series.

http://kristincashore.blogspot.com/2008/02/my-books.html