i like to read

mckay • 25 • they/them

[wildereader]

Hello Booklr :)

I'm very much not new to tumblr, but I am new to posting on this side of it! I just want a little place for myself to keep track of what I'm reading, my thoughts, and my goals for this new year. With that being said, I'm McKay, and if you're here, I hope you enjoy my reading thoughts, and I welcome you to share your own!

A bit about me:

Favorite book - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It's been my favorite since I was 17, and I collect different editions of it - I have over 40 now :)

Favorite genres - fantasy, horror, and classics are my nearest and dearest, but I will read almost anything! Variety is the spice of life, after all

Hobbies (other than reading) - writing (fiction and poetry), jewelry making, listening to podcasts, and occasionally gaming

I also work at a library, which is simultaneously fantastic (for all the books) and overwhelming (too many books, constantly confronted with the fact that I will never be able to read everything ever written in the history of humanity)

This is a sideblog - my main is all shitposts and fandom stuff and I rarely use it for original posts. I used to be very active on my classic literature blog (@thisblogislit-erature), but since I read more than just classic lit and I hardly ever post anything to that one anymore, I wanted a fresh start

All this being said, I'm excited to begin chronicling my 2024 reading journey! Hopefully it'll be a good one :)

[sourdough-seal]

bingewatching will never come close to bingereading. there is nothing like blocking out the entire Earth for ten hours to read a book in one sitting no food no water no shower no bra and emerging at the end with no idea what time it is or where you are, a dried-up prune that's sensitive to light and loud noises because you've been in your room in the dark reading by the glow of a single LED. it's like coming back after a three-month vacation in another dimension and now you have to go downstairs and make dinner. absolutely transcendental

[wildereader]

The grass is still more brown than green, but it wasn’t raining and the temperature was in the 60s, so I just had to go to my favorite reading spot and spend the day there!

I’ve posted before about this beautiful cemetery near where I live, and how much I love going there to read. My favorite spot is behind a mausoleum that overlooks the highway and a creek far below—it’s a private and lovely place to sit for a few hours with my books :)

I spent my time with The Whole Picture by Alice Procter, a book about art museums & colonization, and Beartown by Fredrik Backman, which centers around the citizens of a small town, their teenage hockey team, and a tragedy that I know is about to happen any page now.

This copy of The Whole Picture actually belongs to a friend of mine—she gave it to me to borrow *cough* over a year ago *cough* and I’m finally getting serious about finishing it! Procter’s discussions of the inherent colonialist infrastructure when it comes to museums, particularly in Britain, is so interesting to read about—this is a topic I’ve been wanting to learn more about for a while, so I’ve been enjoying this a lot.

Beartown is a book I’ve been wanting to read for a while now—my grand idea was to read it during winter, since it’s set in a cold, snowy environment, but I didn’t read much for the past couple months… so that didn’t happen. But I’m so glad I’ve finally started it! And I’m already so invested—I read the first hundred pages and barely noticed the time going by, the story and writing was so immediately engaging and immersive. I love the way the POV shifts around to all these different people who live in this town—adults, kids, people involved with the team, people who aren’t—it’s been so fun dipping in and out of everyone’s heads and seeing how they’re all interconnected, and trying to predict where the story will go next. I’ve never read any of Backman’s works, but I’m already loving this so much, I can’t wait to look into his other books and see what else might interest me from him!

I really love reading outside, and I think that’s a part of why I haven’t read much in the past few months—my apartment is nice, it’s cozy, but I just love being able to lay down in the grass, feel the fresh air on my skin, and get away from everything that could distract me from my books. I’m so excited for the weather to keep getting better, for the leaves to come back onto the trees, and to devote more of my time to all the books I want to read this year.

[wildereader]

A Reading Experiment

My favorite book of all time is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. This has been my favorite book since the first time I read it, when I was 17 years old–eight years ago, now. Ever since then, I've been cultivating a collection of different editions of Dorian Gray, and at this point, I own 48 different editions of it.

The unfortunate thing is, I've only read nine of the editions that I own. Some of them have been read multiple times, but that's still always been a frustration of mine, that I haven't read even half of the beautiful, unique editions that I own.

This year, I hope for that to change.

I'm not going to force myself to read a certain number of my editions, but, for a while, I've wanted to do an experiment where I see how many times in one year I can read my favorite book. I don't want to make myself sick of it, I don't want to force myself to read it when I don't feel like it... I'm just going to go with my gut, see what feels right. If I'm in the middle of reading it and feel like putting it down for something else, I'll do that. If I want to read it over and over and over again, I'll do that, too.

I've already read it once this year (the first time I've read it since August of 2022, actually–another reason I wanted to spend some time this year with the book that I usually read at least once a year), and I just finished it a couple days ago, but I'm already reading it again. Every time I read Dorian Gray, I make new connections, I have new thoughts or interpretations of the text, and this most recent reread was no different–however, I was expecting to feel more excitement reading this book that I love so dearly. I was expecting my heart to fill to bursting at every word, I was expecting to smile and giggle and kick my feet at every interaction the characters had. And I certainly did feel those things occasionally. However, what I wasn't expecting was how comfortable it felt, to read these words that I know so well. Reading this book felt like coming home after a long time away–everything is right where you left it, but you also have a renewed appreciation for it all.

I have some more thoughts that I want to explore in depth at some point–a return to my essay-writing days, perhaps. But for now, I just want to enjoy this resurgence of love I have for my favorite book. I can't wait to continue this experiment throughout the year.

[wildereader]

Another ✨library haul✨

Sooo I may have gone a bit overboard this time…

FIFTEEN BOOKS!!! And this isn’t counting the 8 or so I got before these and still have… guess I really gotta get reading!

The themes that are emerging here are trans women, lesbians, and sci-fi—all things I am always loving 😌 I’m particularly excited about These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein, a new release that I specifically requested our collection developer to buy and put on hold for me, the Monk & Robot duology by Becky Chambers (A Psalm for the Wild Built and A Prayer for the Crown Shy), and (almost) all of the books in Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries series—I’m still waiting on the second one to come back!

I’m very excited to get around to these, but more than anything, I’m grateful my library has such a great collection for so many of the books I’ve been wanting to read for so long and for newer releases too :)

[wildereader]

My current favorite place to go read is this cemetery near where I live, and it was finally nice enough on a day I had off from work to spend an afternoon there! Aside from the flies and caterpillars that would NOT leave me alone, it was lovely. Amidst the headstones and forget-me-nots, I spent my time reading two books: a few poems in the recently-published collection This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets, which I am adoring so far, and the biography Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner.

Cemeteries have always been a favorite spot of mine. They’re in nature, they’re peaceful, and they’re beautiful. I always enjoy spending time in them.

The poem I took photos of is one of my favorites so far in the anthology— “Fruitful” by Evie Shockley. Full text under the cut (and in photo ids):

"Fruitful" by Evie Shockley you grow my garden. no, you are                     the whole of it: the beds of zinnias,         tiger lilies, begonias, petunias, in all                               their taken-for-granted variety :: irises waving purple flags from the tops                     of long stalks :: daffodils and violets by         the bushel, rhododendrons and azaleas                               by the bush. you are the greenhouse in the western quadrant, the rainforest                     inside, and the delicate herd of orchids,         strange by stranger, each out-thriving                               the other. not just lovely, you’re the courtyard, central, complete                     with benches for contemplating         the round, still pool, an eye gazing                               back at the ones looking down. you’re the meadow of tall grasses that hide                     everything but the sound of the stream ::         the arched boughs of the peach orchard,                               the rows of beans, corn, greens, gourds, the root vegetables, the parsley, sage,                     rosemary, and chives, oregano, basil,         and, yes, all the thyme in the world.                               you’re the stand of aspens waving me on :: the grove of willows that arc                     and cascade, but never weep :: the oaks,         maples, and birches encircling the verge.                               here, i become my best self, i exist at peace with birds and bees, no knowledge                     is denied me: i eat the apple, speak         with the snake, and nothing as obnoxious                               as an angel could oust me from this soil, the plot where the best of my stories                     has its genesis, and finds its end.

[girljeremystrong]

booty shorts that say ASK ME ABOUT THE BOOK I'M READING on the ass

[wildereader]

April Wrap-Up!

This may not seem like a lot, but I REALLY focused on finishing up One Piece this month, which you will see. For right now, I’ll focus on these three books!

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is my FAVORITE book I’ve read so far this year, which I was NOT expecting from a historical fantasy set during WWI!!! I loved Arden’s Winternight Trilogy, which I read last year, so I was so excited to read her new release. Her writing is so atmospheric and enthralling, and this story about war, grief, folklore, memory, and love was absolutely everything I love in fiction. ALSO I was not expecting a beautiful queer romance from this book at ALL, but Ms. Arden surprised me in the best way with it 🥹 When this book comes out in paperback, I will definitely be getting myself a copy!

The Curious Compendium of Wonderful Words was something I found at my library and picked up on a whim and have been slowly making my way through for a couple months now, even though it’s very short. It was funny and fascinating, and my only critique is that it didn’t go into much detail about anything—just a collection of interesting facts about certain words and phrases, which was fun enough to keep me entertained while I read it. This book isn’t something you’d pick up if you want in-depth info about etymology, but it is an easy read if you just want to learn a bunch of fun facts!

And after I finished One Piece, I went back to my manga roots—volume 1 of Ouran High School Host Club 🌸💞🌹 I rewatched the anime for the first time in YEARS earlier in April, and I absolutely fell back in love with this series. I’m excited to do my first reread of the manga, especially considering it has even more story that wasn’t adapted into the anime.

Speaking of manga, though… It’s Time To Talk About One Piece

I’ve been putting my OP volume roundups under cuts in my previous wrap-up posts, but I’m FUCKING PROUD OF MYSELF for catching up, so it’s going in the main post!!!! I always reserve most thoughts on a series until I’ve finished it, so I’ve been holding back my OP-inions (haha) for FIVE MONTHS….. but they’re nothing groundbreaking. I love this series. I totally understand why it makes people go so nuts, and I’m fully one of those people now. I have such withdrawal from this series since finishing it a couple weeks ago ;-; It is so wild to me how LONG this series is, how culturally impactful it’s been since its release twenty-five years ago, and how strong and unique and interesting it’s remained since it started. No, it’s not Perfect™️™️ by any means, but….. Damn. It’s good. It’s so good. And it definitely deserves all the hype it has.

Also, since it’s May 5th when I’m posting this… Happy Birthday to my Most Favorite Boy EVER MONKEY D. LUFFY!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

SOOOO I’ve definitely been putting some books off as I was focusing on finishing OP, but I’ll ease back into them as I feel like it (and as my library book due dates creep up on me). Here’s hoping May is another good reading month for me!!!

[wildereader]

February & March Reading Wrap-Up

February and March may not have been “full” reading months for me, but I have enjoyed pretty much everything I did read! I FINALLY read the Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir, and let’s just say… I Get It Now 🧍what else can I really say about these books??? If you’ve read them, you understand, and if you haven’t… well, just read them.

I’ve also started getting into nonfiction more lately! You can see that with Why We Read by Shannon Reed, a collection of short, interconnected memoirs about her love of reading and her observations about other people’s relationships with books, and The Timeline of the Bible by Matt Baker, which was a very interesting summary of the archaeological history of the Bible!

Work and recovering from work takes up a lot of my time these days, along with other hobbies and commitments of mine, so I do feel sad that I can’t read as much as I would like to, or as much as I’ve grown used to reading over the past couple of years 🥲 but I’ll keep doing as much as I can for now!

Under the cut: a collage of the 20 volumes of One Piece I was able to read over the past two months. I’m getting close to catching up with the story now!!

[wildereader]

Current reads…

I used to be the kind of person who would only read one, MAYBE two books at a time. However…

And these are just the physical books I’m reading right now! I started an ebook yesterday, and I’m considering One Piece as one huge “currently reading” project until I finish it (only 28 volumes/304 chapters to go!!!)

Admittedly, The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde is something I’ve been making my way through since the summer of 2022, and I definitely want to take that one slow. However, I’ve been stuck in the middle of Wildwood Imperium for a while now… and, of course, The Warm Hands of Ghosts and The Curious Compendium of Wonderful Words are two of my several library books I have out at the moment!

I spent most of last year pushing myself to finish the books I was reading as quickly as I could and feeling guilty when I wasn’t spending every moment of my free time reading. This year has been an exercise in letting go of those reading habits. They take all the joy out of reading for me! So, even though I kind of hate having this many books that I’m “currently reading,” I’m trying not to let it bother me too much. As long as I’m enjoying them, that’s all that should matter to me 😊

[wildereader]

There’s nothing like the rush of checking out a bunch of cool books from the library :)

Some more recent finds!! I still have most of the books from my previous library haul post, but how can you expect me to resist some more…

I’ve been in a nonfiction mood lately, as you can see! I don’t usually have specific topics that I look for—I just happened to see these books about clothing history and deer and thought “That looks interesting!” I think especially when it comes to library books, I’m much more willing to pick up nonfiction that seems intriguing, because I don’t have to worry about spending money on something that doesn’t end up being as fascinating as I’d hoped—but hopefully these are as interesting as I’m expecting them to be!

This Is the Honey is an anthology of poetry written by Black poets, and one of the books I recommended to our purchasing librarian as part of my monthly collection development assignment… and it was 10000% because I heard about its release this year and was so excited to get my hands on it. I want to take my time with it, read a couple poems a day, until I’m able to finish them all!

Though, out of these five, I am most excited to read The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang. Reincarnated soulmates who keep finding each other across thousands and thousands of years? Yes please!

Here’s hoping I can get these (and all the other ones I have checked out currently) finished by their due dates… 🤞🤞

[wildereader]

Library haul!!!

This is definitely a MUCH better financial decision than my last couple trips to the bookstore 😅 I have an even mix of fiction and nonfiction right now, and I’m excited to get to all of these… even if I know I’ll have to renew some of them a few times before I’m able to finish them 🫣 And this isn’t even counting the ebooks I have on Libby right now!!!

Which should I read first?

A Tempest of Tea

Our Ancient Lakes: A Natural History

What the River Knows

The Curious Compendium of Wonderful Words

The Warm Hands of Ghosts

Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out

Voting ended onMar 15, 2024

[sheepgirl3]

About to rearrange and sort my bookshelves! What are your favorite ways to sort your bookshelves?

Bookshelf system

By genre

By author

Alphabetically by title

Publication date

Library shelving

By color

By tropes/themes

Other/in comments

Y’all sort your shelves?

Voting ended onMar 9, 2024

[wildereader]

Yet another book haul…

I need to stop going to my local bookstore on my day off… but in my defense, these first two were books that I had ordered last time I was there and they just came in, so I did have a reason to go!

I adored The Lumberjack’s Dove when I read it last month, and I knew I needed my own copy of it, and when I also found out that GennaRose Nethercott was releasing a short story collection this year, I absolutely had to get my hands on it!!! I can’t wait to get into it soon!

And then I went to check out the sci fi/fantasy section and, well…

When I saw Gideon, Harrow, and Nona (all in my beloved paperback!!!) over there, I just had to get them. I haven’t finished Nona yet, but I KNOW I’m going to love it and I’ll want to reread all of them eventually. I’m fully on the Locked Tomb train, and I’m riding it wherever it takes us!!!

I definitely have to steer clear of the bookstore for a little while now…

[wildereader]

One week after starting/finishing Gideon the Ninth, I have finished, as of about half an hour ago, Harrow the Ninth.

Things I have now:

A headache

So many questions

I will be starting Nona later today.

[wildereader]

I am SO excited to start reading Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir!!!!! I have so many friends who love this series, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. I haven’t been reading a lot of sci fi/fantasy for a bit, so I’m also super thrilled to get back to my favorite genre.

My boy is excited for me to start it, too! 🥰

[wildereader]

Book Haul!

I usually don’t have Saturdays off, but I did today, so I went on a little walk to my local bookstore to see if there was anything that caught my eye!

Usually, I’m a big fan of unhauling books. However, the only three books I’ve ever regretted getting rid of were… the Hunger Games trilogy 😭 and now, especially since we’re having a Hunger Games Renaissance, I’ve wanted to get them again and reread them, as well as The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to read for the first time. So imagine my excitement when I saw a box set of all four of them, and in paperback (my favorite book format)! Hopefully I’ll be able to get to them soon :)

I also recently have been wanting to read the very controversial Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. I’m interested in this, not only because I want to see for myself what exactly happens in this book, but because I want to read My Dark Vanessa by Karen Elizabeth Russell sometime soon, and I know that book is a response to this one in some way. My library’s copy of Lolita has been missing for half a year now, and I might end up wanting to annotate it while I’m reading, so I figured I might as well buy it for myself.

Ever since I started working at a library, I’ve definitely cut down on my book-buying, and even my desire to buy books at all; I’ve become much more intentional about what I want to add to my personal library, so it’s always very exciting when I do see a book (or two or three, or in this case, five) that really calls to me for one reason or another. I’m excited to get around to reading these books sometime soon!