semorigan

creating mental escapes since the 1900s | she/her | reading writing sleeping as much as possible

208 points

0% overlap

My Taste

The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

Reading...

73%

41%

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Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism

Herfavoothings

Thoughts from 51% (page 202)

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semorigan is interested in reading...

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction

Jeff VanderMeer

This all-new definitive guide to writing imaginative fiction takes a completely novel approach and fully exploits the visual nature of fantasy through original drawings, maps, renderings, and exercises to create a spectacularly beautiful and inspiring object. Employing an accessible, example-rich approach, Wonderbook energizes and motivates while also providing practical, nuts-and-bolts information needed to improve as a writer. Aimed at aspiring and intermediate-level writers, Wonderbook includes helpful sidebars and essays from some of the biggest names in fantasy today, such as George R. R. Martin, Lev Grossman, Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, Catherynne M. Valente, and Karen Joy Fowler, to name a few. Praise for “Jammed with storytelling wisdom.” — Fast Company ’s Co.Create blog “This is the kind of book you leave sitting out for all to see . . . and the kind of book you will find yourself picking up again and again.” — Kirkus Reviews online “If you’re looking for a handy guide to not just crafting imaginative fiction like sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, but to writing in general, be sure to pick up a copy of Steampunk Bible author Jeff Vandermeer’s lovingly compiled Wonderbook ." —Flavorwire “Jeff Vandermeer and Jeremy Zerfoss have created a kaleidoscopically rich and beautiful book about fiction writing.” — Star Tribune “Because it is so layered and filled with text, tips, and links to online extras, this book can be read again and again by both those who want to learn the craft of writing and those interested in the process of others.” — Library Journal

semorigan commented on TheNerdyBookWitch's update

TheNerdyBookWitch is interested in reading...

Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds

John Fugelsang

A deeply irreverent and Biblically correct takedown of the far-right and their co-opting of religion, and guide to engaging them in effective conversational combat, in the spirit of Bill Maher and Christopher Hitchens.For over two centuries, the United States constitution has given us the right to live in a society where church and state exist independently, and without conflict. So why is it that, suddenly, Christianity is being co-opted by far-right groups, politicians, friends, and family members to justify oppressive and unequal policies? And how do we fight back against those acting—literally—in bad faith? Separation of Church and Hate, a new and critical book from comedian and TV and radio host John Fugelsang—who himself is the child of a former Catholic nun and Franciscan brother—finally offers the answers. In this informative, perspective-shifting guide, Fugelsang takes readers through common talking points and arguments—God condemns abortion, gay marriage is a sin, guns are an ordained right, and more—and exposes their hypocrisy and overall inaccuracy through scripture, philosophy, and plain old common sense. Told with Fugelsang’s trademark blend of radical honesty, relevant humor, and deep political and religious knowledge, Separation of Church and Hate is the book every American today needs. It is a return to civility, a rallying cry for compassion and clarity, and a reclamation of the values and truths we hold dear, for anyone who was raised Christian but has become disillusioned with organized religion; for Democrats, progressives, liberals, and moderates who are tired of the right wing pretending to own Christianity; for atheists, agnostics, and any one of any faith who’s sick of the fundamentalists using religion as a cloaking device for hate; for everyone who’s realized you don’t necessarily need organized religion to be a good person.

semorigan is interested in reading...

Foul Lady Fortune (Foul Lady Fortune, #1)

Chloe Gong

It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue. Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country. Code name: Fortune. But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed. To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.

semorigan is interested in reading...

Merciless Saviors (The Ouroboros, #2)

H.E. Edgmon

That day at the First Church of Gracie changed everything for Gem Echols, and not just because Marian and Poppy betrayed them. Forced to use the Ouroboros knife on Zephyr, who had kidnapped their parents, Gem now has the power of the God of Air. While for any other god things might work out okay, the Magician—whose role within the pantheon is to keep the balance—having the power of another god has thrown everything into chaos. The Goddess of Death can now reanimate corpses; the God of Art’s powers are now corrupted and twisted, giving life to his macabre creations; and, while the God of Land has always been able to communicate with creatures of the Earth, now everyone can hear their cries. As Gem, Rory, and Enzo search for a way to restore the balance without sacrificing themselves, new horrors make them question how far they're willing to go. In the end, Gem may be forced to fully embrace their merciless nature and kill off their own humanity—if it ever really existed in the first place. 11 hrs. 18 min.

semorigan finished a book

Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars, #1)

Elizabeth Lim

A gifted tailor in disguise. Three legendary dresses. The competition of a lifetime. On the fringes of the Great Spice Road, Maia Tamarin works as a seamstress in the shop of her father, once a tailor of renown. She dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father to court, Maia poses as his son and travels to the Summer Palace in his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to save her family from ruin and achieve her dream of becoming the imperial tailor. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job. The competition is cutthroat, and Maia's job is further complicated by the unwelcome attention of the court enchanter, Edan, who seems to see straight through her disguise. But nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three gowns so dangerously beautiful, it will take a quest to the ends of the earth to complete them . . . Book 1 in the Blood of Stars duology

semorigan finished a book

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings, #1)

Mackenzi Lee

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

semorigan is interested in reading...

The Everlasting

Alix E. Harrow

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Starling House, Alix E. Harrow, comes a moving and genre-defying adventure through time – as a reluctant lady knight and a not-so-heroic-historian will fight through time and space to rewrite their tragic fates . . . and finally reveal the truths hidden beneath the greatest legend ever told. It begins where it ends: beneath the yew tree – a girl not yet a knight, and a boy without a story. It is where she pulls a sword from the heartwood and becomes a legend. And it is where, more than a thousand years later, he will find her – and lose her – and find her – and lose her again. It is where a new story will be written – but whose will it be?

semorigan is interested in reading...

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction

Jeff VanderMeer

semorigan is interested in reading...

When We Lost Our Heads

Heather O'Neill

A spellbinding story about two girls whose friendship is so intense it not only threatens to destroy them, it changes the trajectory of history. Marie Antoine is the charismatic, spoiled daughter of a sugar baron. At 12 years old, with her blond curls and her unparalleled sense of whimsey, she's the leader of all the children in the Golden Mile, an affluent strip of 19th century Montreal. Until one day in 1873, when Sadie Arnett, dark-haired, sly, and brilliant, moves to the neighborhood. Marie and Sadie are immediately united by their passion and intensity, and they attract and repel each other in ways that light each of them on fire. Marie with her bubbly charm sees the light and sweetness of the world, whereas Sadie's obsession with darkness is all consuming. Soon their childlike games take on a thrill of danger and then become deadly. Forced to separate, they spend their teenage years engaged in acts of alternating innocence and depravity--until a singular event unites them once more, with dizzying effects. And after Marie inherits her father's sugar empire and Sadie disappears into the city's gritty underworld, a revolution of the working class begins to foment. Each of them will have unexpected roles to play in events that upend their city--the only question is whether they will find each other once more. Traveling from a repressive finishing school to a vibrant brothel, taking readers firsthand into the brutality of factory life and the opulent lives of Montreal's wealthy, When We Lost Our Heads dazzlingly explores gender and power, sex and desire, class and status, and the terrifying power of the human heart when it can't let someone go.

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Sourcebooks giveaway

How to Kill a Witch: The Patriarchy's Guide to Silencing Women

Zoe Venditozzi & Claire Mitchell

Nothing brings people together like a common enemy, and witches were the greatest enemy of all. Scotland, 1563: Crops failed. People starved. And the Devil's influence was stronger than ever—at least, that's what everyone believed. If you were a woman living in Scotland during this turbulent time, there was a very good chance that you, or someone you knew, would be tried as a witch. During the chaos of the Reformation, violence against women was codified for the first time in the Witchcraft Act—a tool of theocratic control with one chilling to root out witches and rid the land of evil. What followed was a dark and misogynistic chapter in history that fanned the flames of witch hunts across the globe, including in the United States and beyond. In How to Kill a Witch, Zoe Venditozzi and Claire Mitchell, hosts of the popular Witches of Scotland podcast, unravel the grim yet absurdly bureaucratic process of identifying, accusing, trying, and executing women as witches. With sharp wit and keen feminist insight, they reveal the inner workings of a patriarchal system designed to weaponize fear and oppress women. This captivating (and often infuriating) account, which weaves a rich tapestry of trial transcripts, witness accounts, and the documents that set the legal grounds for the witch hunts, exposes how this violent period of history mirrors today's struggles for justice and equality. How to Kill a Witch is a powerful, darkly humorous reminder of the dangers of superstition, bias, and ignorance, and a warning to never forget the past… while raising the question of whether it could ever happen again.

print • 10 copies • US & Canada

semorigan commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

BookishGirly

Edited

Christian book recs!

Heyyyy. 🤗I couldn't find a lot of these posts so I wanted to post here and see if anybody had some Christian book recommendations? ✝️I'm a non denom Christian and prefer books with no spice. Also with M/F characters, low swear words ( preferably no f-words), and I can't really find lots of books like that to read. It's kind of disappointing. 🙁 I do read books with no mention of God though. But it would be nice to have one where he is a central theme. Does anybody know of any? Thank you in advanceee😁😁

Edit: Some people have been saying my post has been offensive, so I'm sorry if it was.These are really just my preferences, I know that a lot of people are part of the Pride community here, I didn't mean any offense.

Second edit: You guys are all attacking me for my beliefs. I get that it offended you and I will keep all of that in mind the next time I post anything potentially offensive. Clearly, all of us here have different opinions and perspectives and I think we should all try to respect that. However I won’t continue to comment as I have already apologized multiple times. If everyone keeps wanting to attack me, that is your choice, but I don’t know what else to say or do. I have different beliefs than most of you here, clearly. And that’s okay. There are dozens and dozens and dozens of different political views and religions. I was told by many people that Pagebound was a safe community where you can voice your opinions and still be respected. All of the negative comments and downvotes have disproved that illusion. I liked Pagebound, and I still do, but I would love it even more if we could have and voice different opinions without having to worry about being shut down.

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semorigan commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

PuckBunnyReads

Edited

Another game

So , a few weeks ago, I asked for a book cover for every rainbow color . It got really popular because it was unique . So I was thinking , whatever flag(s) you are, comment a book cover for each color . If you aren't lgbtq+ that's okay , just pick your favorite flag , sport, or anything ( it's up to your mind ) . I'll give an example with the nonbinary flag as I am nonbinary . Plus, if you can't think of one with the exact color, it can be a little part of it . Also , you DO NOT have to own all of them

Yellow: Love, Theoretically by Ali HazelWood ( more orangish in my opinion) White- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Purple - The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer Black - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

semorigan made progress on...

The Palace of Eros

Caro De Robertis

73%

semorigan commented on gracie's update

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Feminism Without Exception

Platinum: Finished 20 Main Quest books.

205

Post from the The Palace of Eros forum

semorigan

Thoughts from 54%