Reading through the first chapter & I’m realizing now that I’ve gotta up my vocabulary. What in the world does convalescence? Also the word reverie…

i have one thing to say. fuck you, cathy, selfish ass.

The romantic love portrayed in classic novels had always disappointed me. It seemed unearned, unexplained, leading me to believe it was so universally understandable that no one felt you had to describe anything other than its effects. I understood hunger, thirst, even sexual desire—they were essentially cravings born of over- or understimulation. I understood attraction, even, in a broad sense, that you were pulled to some people over others. I understood platonic and familial love, how a bond could form over time. But romantic love? If I didn’t know any better, I would think it was an authorial invention to get out of explaining why a relationship between two people—one of whom was often an asshole—was strong enough to be their downfall.

I read these two paragraphs and immediately copied them to go message my girlfriend (we're both aro) and go "omg look!!" because seeing a reflection of how her and I talk about romance and love is so rare! I've thought about romantic love this way for yeeaaarrs, especially the part about "no one [feels] you had to describe anything other than its effects" which is often my chief complaint with romance in stories! Allo people (of both kinds honestly) seem to lean very heavily on shared amatonormativity to fill in gaps in love stories or sexual chemistry between characters, but I can always see the gaps, because I don't have that shared culture of amatonormativity! I often say that reading romance requires the same kind of suspension of disbelief from me as reading SFF, and honestly it often requires more because while SFF writers are fully aware of the gap created for the reader, allo writers writing romance simply do not seem to be.

I think one of my favorite parts of this book so far are the places where Sam explores how she feels about sex, sexual orientation, attraction to other people, etc and what it all means for her. Especially because it seems that she's a deeply aspec protagonist represented in such a real way. It's so rare to get stories like this, where it's a part of the story, not The Story. I'm basking in it.

Getting so annoyed by this family dynamic! Anna seems to dislike her family but then why did she choose to go on this vacay? And then she doesn’t try to interact during the trip and often walks off away from them, but also gets butthurt that her family ignores her at dinner? Like what do you want girl

Hello! I’ve been wanting to read more poetry lately but the last couple of collections didn’t hit for me. So I’m coming to you for recommendations!

I love poetry with structure and interesting formats. Rhyme schemes, rhythm, shape, all that. I love poetry with rules because the constraints often encourage more creativity in my experience. I especially love sonnets!

I’ve read a lot of poetry because I studied English in college. But it was mostly old poetry. The more recent poetry I’ve read is usually more freestyle. I’m wondering if anybody has recommendations for more recently published/modern poetry that is structured. I’m always down for older recommendations too, but I really want to find modern stuff that fits the vibe!

Any topics welcomed, like I said I’m mostly looking for formatting and structure.

Usually when I post in the forums I get the thing on the top right asking me for the % into the book the post is referring to. I just finished a book and wanted to post in the forum but that % thingy is gone and I can't find it anymore. Help?

It's an anthology so I really wanted to give a % to the last story so I don't spoile it or it doesn't show up 1st when it should show up last.

It's time for the pagebound version of "which way do you hang the toilet paper roll". I need to know!

Do you log the last page you read or the next page you are going to read?

I asked a friend, @UnPancito, and it turns out we do it different ways.

Reading to prepare to see the movie on Friday. I've got to put my Classics degree to work!