Stay at home book tag

Laying in Bed - book you could/have read in a day

Any book with less than 300 pages
The last ones I read in a day were the Brides of Noelle series - paperback romance novels. Not really something I'd recommend, but OK. I read 2-3 a day.
Before that it was The Mary Frances books by Jane Eayre Fryer. I read all four in a day, but they aren't very big either. :-D
I think Agatha Christie's books are in a day reads that I do recommend.

Snacking - guilty pleasure book

The Adventures of Lady Harpur.
Porn written in 1885, it starts with a father raping his 10 years old daughter, but it's not rape because sex is fun and she really enjoys it! X[
And the story continues with women being raped right and left, and more pedophilia, incest, and other issues like that, so I feel really guilty about it, but I keep going back to it, because I like erotica, and there are bits that turn me on, so - guilty pleasure.
I could mention the paperback romance novels, but I don't think there's anything to feel guilty about in those - might not be "high culture" and "worthy literature" and other such things, but, who cares? I hate Corrections and The Goldfinch, which were showered with accolades, which just makes me hate them even more. I seriously can't imagine ANYONE actually ENJOYING reading either of those books.

Netflix - series you want to start

I don't quite understand the question...
Is there a tv series I want to see? The Witcher, I suppose
Do I want to create/write a tv series? Yes. Like Friends or How I Met Your Mother.
Is there a book series I want to start? A lot of them. The latest is John Bellairs' Lewis Barnavelt series.

Deep Clean - been on your TBR for ages

Terry Pratchett's Johnny -books
Paolini's dragon books. I've only read the first two. I think.
Ken Follett's World Without an End

Animal Crossing - book u recently bought because of hype

Oh... The Lies of Locke Lamora is one of the books I recently read - or tried to read - because of the hype. It was OK, just not my type.
Starless Sea I read because of the hype and I was very glad for that, because that's one of the best books I've ever read.
Red Queen. That was bad.

Productivity - book you learnt or had an impact on you

I think reading Charlie Chan and White Fragility at the same time was an experience. Then came the murder of George Floyd and BLM, and this:

Facetime - A book you were gifted

Health Revolution - it's not fiction, it's about the food we eat and the lifestyle we live and how it effects our wellbeing - duh :-D

Self Care - what is one thing you have done recently to look after yourself

See above :-D I'm eating anti-inflammatory food and losing weight to make it easier for my joints to function :-D

BONUS - name a book coming out soon

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton sounds like an interesting book. Coming about 6th of October. ARCs were sent around in May.

Bella's "gun"

Every now and then on Pinterest people pin things from Better Novel Project - which is a fascinating thing, even though... uh.

Today I saw The "Chekhov's Gun" Guide to Foreshadowing

READY: Introduce a special skill

In the beginning, the hero discovers his special skill or reveals his unique personality trait. This is the equivalent of the “hanging the rifle on the wall” element of Chekhov’s gun.

In Twilight, Bella reveals an important personality trait: self-sacrifice.

AIM: Demonstrate the skill

As the hero proceeds on his adventure, that same skill or personality trait comes in handy. In other words, the hero takes Chekhov’s Gun out to the shooting range for some practice.

In Twilight, Bella’s tendency for self-sacrifice allows her to advance her romantic relationship with Edward.

FIRE!  The special skill or trait saves the day

Finally, the big moment arrives and the hero must use his special skill in a scene leading up to the climax. The stakes are a lot higher now. Even with all the foreshadowing, the reader never saw it coming.

Bella decides to confront the vampire alone, again demonstrating her willingness to sacrifice herself to save both her mom and Edward from getting hurt.

 I hate the "self-sacrificing woman" trope. I really f-ing hate it.

It is stupid, unnecessary... I mean, there are ways to solve problems without anyone needing to sacrifice anything!
The idiot mom should know that it's just pie. You can cut it into as many pieces as there are people eating! You can SHARE!
And a high-school student is considered an adult in most cultures and during the history of humankind. Her mother could have easily traveled with her boyfriend as much as they wanted. If Bella is old enough to "take care of her father", she is more than well suited to take care of only herself while her mother is traveling! And why would it be such a "sacrifice" for her to live with her dad? He wasn't a bad person. And everyone loved her in the new school. She wasn't bullied or ostracized or anything. It's really creating problems where there are none, so that the main character can show some "wonderful qualities", that aren't needed, wanted, or don't really exist either, so that she will be rewarded with what she most wants - when all she would have needed to do was to ask. Drama for drama's sake.

But I suppose the people who love Twilight also love that quote above about the stupid mom, and they love Disney's The Beauty and The Beast, they believe "love can change a person", they are type 2, "power of the weak" abusers, codependent, constantly offended by people who don't appreciate their "sacrifice", "love", "good intentions", and other "good qualities" (read unsolicited advice, putting your nose into other people's business, trying to manipulate everything and everyone), and they are "Alpha Females", SAHMs, economically reasonably well off, with a husband who works, off home, in a well-paid job, Christian and conservative. They dressed up as princess when they were little. And still do - or would like to.

This is the "Are you an alpha woman" quiz from the book. I bet these people answer "yes" to most of these questions.

1.  Do you feel nervous or out of control when you’re not the one in  charge? 
2.  Are you a perfectionist or an overachiever? 
3.  Do you sometimes feel superior to your husband, as though he  needs you to show him how to do things? (How to dress, what to  say, how to grocery shop, how to parent, and so forth.)
 4.  Do you take your everyday frustrations out on your husband as  though he’s the cause of those frustrations? 
5.  Do you generally expect your husband to go along with your plans, as  opposed to the other way around? 
6.  Do you listen to your husband when he has something to say without immediately formulating a response in your head? 
7.  Do you roll your eyes when your husband says something with which  you disagree or disapprove? 
8.  Do you frequently contradict your husband? (If your answer is no,  would your husband agree?) 
9.  Are you a drill sergeant? 
10.  Do you tease your husband in front of others in a manner that could  be construed as disrespectful? 
11.  Do you need to be right? 
12.  Do you frequently interrupt your husband or talk over him, even in  public? (If your answer is no, would your husband agree?) 
13.  Does your marriage feel like one giant power struggle? (If your answer is no, would your husband agree?) 

So, of course they love this book. They identify with Bella and dream of finding someone like Edward with whom they can live forever, young and strong and healthy and beautiful, with beautiful child and happy life, being loved and worshiped and appreciated, even though they had "nothing" but "ability to love and sacrifice oneself". It IS a dream come true, and removes all the bothersome bits of life, like deciding what I would like to do with my life and how to live a meaningful life and what is my value beyond being a girl-friend, wife, mother? Who am I and what is my place in life?

It would be wonderful. Except that I am not that kind of a person.

But... now I know how to write a best-seller like Twilight.

 

20 questions book tag

from here

1. How many books are too many for a series?
The short answer is: there is no such thing as too many books.
The longer answer is: more than you can write during your lifetime - BUT there are book series that can be continued by someone else. (Please, don't write more Narnia books!)

2. How do you feel about cliffhangers?
Fine - INSIDE THE BOOK. Ending a book in a cliffhanger is an abomination.

3. Hardcover or paperback?
Hardcover

4. Favourite book?
Too many to count. Right now Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

5. Least favourite book?
Unfortunately, too many to count. :-( One I hate is Life of Pi by Jann Martel.

6. Love triangles, yes or no?
Rather no, but I'm ok with them.

7. The most recent book you couldn’t finish?
The Lies of Locke Lamora. It wasn't because it wasn't good, it was because I was bored by it. I don't like heist stories.

8. A book you’re currently reading?
I read several books at the same time, but let's say The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

9. Last book you recommended to someone?
I recommend Starless Sea to everyone. (But if you don't like it, stop reading and don't tell me.)

10. Oldest book you’ve read by publication date?
I think it must be the Bible. The next one might be Tirant lo Blanch (1490)

11. Newest book you’ve read by publication date?
I think it must be Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore

12. Favourite author?
Terry Pratchett

13. Buying books or borrowing books?
Yes

14. A book you dislike that everyone seems to love?
Life of Pi

15. Bookmarks or dog ears?
Bookmarks. Absolutely no dog ears! Not even on paperbacks!

16. A book you can always re-read?
Mary Poppins

17. Can you read while listening to music?
Yes

18. One POV or multiple?
Both fine. (But don't write one POV in 1st and the other in 3rd.)

19. Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
Yes :-D

20. Who do you tag?
Whoever wants to be tagged. I can even name you and link to your blog/vlog/goodreads/anywhere you like, if you ask me :-D