What Smack Said #32
Eclipse gushing, Loki update, and mulllltiple book recs.
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We in the U.S. are a week away from the total eclipse! Is anyone in the totality (or traveling to it)? I added a screenshot of NASA's interactive map of the totality below because it's just
so cool. (You can access the map itself here, or here if you're on your phone.) The next total solar eclipse in the U.S. won't be until 2044.
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I'm going to Dallas with family for a day to see it. I have every expectation it'll be a madhouse, but I'm also really looking forward to it! Fingers crossed it doesn't, I don't know, thunderstorm while we're there.
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Loki finished his four weeks of radiation and we have a check-up with the oncologist later this week. He's temporarily stuck in both a sweater (adorable) and a cone (approximately as disruptive as a battering ram). He's been a really good sport about all the gear and the medication. Just the absolute goodest boy--though it does help that we've showered him in high-value treats. My friend even sent us a container of dehydrated salmon and it is
so stinky and he loves it
so much. I left it open and unattended for ten seconds the other day and he tried to shove his face into it.
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Unfortunately this month has mostly been about radiation and work, so there hasn't been a ton of reading. Here are a couple of the ones I've enjoyed the most, in no particular order:
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Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik: interstellar heists! Untrustworthy allies and political machinations! And, per the friend who sent us the salmon treats, an excellent blend of plot and romance. (I love to hear my recommendations are excellent.) This is the beginning of a trilogy.
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A Soupçon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley: murder and intrigue in Victorian England! With a take-no-shit main character who, when her employer tries to put the moves on her, she puts a knife to his neck. (I love her.)
A Soupçon of Poison is technically a novella prequel to the "Below Stairs" mystery series, but honestly I'd say read this one before book 1. It's only about eighty pages long and sets up the rest of the series perfectly.
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Caught in the Basilisk's Gaze by Mallory Dunlin: faery court intrigue and mature emotional development, need I say more? I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of
Caught in the Basilisk's Gaze and I honestly can't remember the last time a 500+ page book felt like a 300 page one. And I'm still so impressed by the main characters' emotional growth. They needed
so much therapy but made do by leaning on each other. This is book four of a series, but each of the books are standalones and you don't need to read them in order.
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