March 03, 2023

Offbeat Offline: February 2023


Welcome to Offbeat Offline, where I bring you up-to-date with what went on in my life during the month just gone, give you a sneak peek of my next shenanigans, and share my favourite posts of late!

What happened last month to yours truly? A little back-and-forth for my husband's health, fresh medical drama for me and a scare about my dad's, and a couple of new ARC approvals. Also, two of my international friends offered to buy a copy of That Ain't Witchcraft for me (see my January recap), and it arrived three days ago...Thank you! 💚 (I only buy cash-on-delivery because I'm afraid to lose what little money I have on my debit card, and my usual sites didn't have the book - a while ago I was planning to get a second card and put a small amount of money on it for book purchases from sites like The Book Depository, but then I got laid off, so I suppose it's not a good idea to have to pay for two cards now...😭).


📚 A READING ROLLERCOASTER. I read 2 novellas and 1 novel in February, including an ARC from NG, and sadly I DNF a novel I got from the publisher (what's with all these DNFs lately?).
So: at the start of the month, I DNF an ARC of This Is the Way the World Ends by Jen Wilde (YA, thriller - novel). Very unsophisticated...Review to come closer to pub date.
I read an ARC of The Wonder State by Sara Flannery Murphy (adult with YA flashbacks, contemporary with a twist with a mystery core - novel) and I loved it! Review already scheduled, but to be posted closer to pub date (in July). BTW, this was my first full review in a few months, and goodness, was I rusty 😂 😭.
I read Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire (YA, portal fantasy - novella), Book 8 in the Wayward Children series. I was on the fence about rating it 3.5 stars or 4, and finally settled on 4 because I really liked the second half AND the message in the first one was important, but ummm...Mini review on Goodreads.
Lastly, I read Into the Windwracked Wilds by A. Deborah Baker (Seanan McGuire) (MG, portal fantasy - novella), and...see above - I very much enjoyed the second half, but the first one was a mess. I settled for 3.5 this time, because really, the first chapter was a chore 😖, and a good chunk of the book dragged a bit...



Also, I was approved for two novels this month, both via EW: The Museum of Human History by Rebekah Bergman (adult, sci-fi I guess? I haven't started it yet, and I'm not sure if magical realism is involved) and Myriad by Joshua David Bellin (adult, sci-fi...it's got time travel in it! I've just finished it, and it's a winner. I was STUNNED!).


Here is my review plan for the month:




Reviews aside, I'll participate in Tell Me Something Tuesday on the 14th (question: How do you measure blogging success? Followers, page views, interactions, etc.) and on the 28th (What is your ideal book/audiobook length?).


👁️ TOTAL EYESORE. Remember how my left eye had been acting funky since the end of December? Well, during the night of February 2nd I started to see white flashes, and you all know what it means. So the next morning I went to the E.R., and from there to the ophthalmologist's office, where the doctor ended up performing laser surgery on my retina to treat a small hole caused by vitreous detachment. Like, am I allowed to breathe a little in this godforsaken life? 😭 Since then I've been having weekly check-ups, and it will take a long time for my vision to go back to normal (I still see floaters and everything looks blurred on that side). Unless I have to undergo a vitrectomy later...which, with my luck, it's just what I may expect 😢.


🩹 THE SWING OF THINGS. In the meantime, my husband's recovery suffered another setback...it looks like the special medications are having some difficulties in making progress lately...which only shows how the difficult wounds office should perform a laser cleansing of his ulcer EVERY TIME he goes there, while the last time they didn't. He has an appointment booked in 10 days, and they better do something about it. It might seem heartless to make this about me, but it's been SIX DARNED MONTHS, and I'm tired...


😱 MIND GAMES. This is the latest development in my hellish life...The other day my dad accompanied me to the oftalmologist's, then went to take care of some personal matters in the same building. A few minutes after, he called my mom asking "Were I supposed to pick up the kid?" and confessing that he didn't remember where he had parked the car. My mom pretty much freaked out - she was in hysterics when she called me and I confirmed that yeah, he had in fact taken me to the hospital, and I was just waiting for my visit. He had totally forgotten the latest 15 minutes or so...including his picking me up. I told my mom where the car was, and then my dad called me a few minutes later, saying that he just panicked when he saw his latest PT results and lost track for a while, but now he was fine and would take me home after my visit. So...that was scary. Panicking isn't a valid reason for what happened, of course. He's 83, and he's had a couple of T.I.A. (transient ischemic attacks) in the latest months, but he recovered in a few minutes - anyhow, this was memory loss pure and simple, without any of the T.I.A. symptoms. I pray he isn't going down the Alzheimer route...I mean, he's always been forgetful, but this is next level.


PUBLISHING NEWS/TIPS
  • Tor.com reveals the cover for Beholder by Ryan La Sala, and shares an insightful interview with him, mostly revolving around queer (YA) horror. La Sala's interviews are always a treat, as are his books, so I thought I'd share...Don't click on the link if you're arachnophobic though!

THINK-PIECES, DISCUSSIONS, ORIGINAL FICTION

REVIEWS/RECOMMENDATIONS

OTHER

That's it for now. My next post will be up on March 9th, and it will be the Review Morsels installment featuring Naomi Salman, Adrian Tchaikovsky and Courtney Gould I mentioned above.

So, what were your highs/lows in the past month?

26 comments:

  1. Hello March. I'm adding Myriad thanks to your thoughts. And I'm curious to see what you think of Tell Me what Really Happened- another blogger I know savaged it so...

    The eye thing sounds scary, I hope you're through the worst of THAT. And I'm sorry to hear about your dad. THAT'S scary too.

    Ryan La Sala... I wonder if that's the same guy who did some posts on Tolkien over at Tor a few years ago. I'll have to dig... seems like I was reading some in depth of his not so long ago nnn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, Myriad is AWESOME! I'll post my review in May, but it was such a wild ride, full of twists and turns I couldn't see coming (and heartbreaks too, though the ending totally satisfied me).

      "Savaged" it? Haha, really? Well...I'm usually more gentle, but I can see where they're coming from...

      Thank you 💚.

      I don't think Ryan La Sala is a Tolkien fan - that I know of, that is. He's the author of Reverie, Be Dazzled and The Honey, unapologetically camp...he doesn't strike me as the type who would like Tolkien, but you never know LOL.

      Delete
    2. Yeah your preview thoughts on Myriad have sold me on it.

      YES. She said it was awful.

      Ah it's Jeff La Sala. Should have checked but I saw the last name...

      Delete
    3. Wait till you read my raving review LOL.

      Eh...I gave it two stars for the marginalised groups representation, though it wasn't that deep.

      I looked him up, and apparently, it's Jeff "LaSala" as opposed to Ryan "La Sala". (And I meant The Honeys of course, not The Honey 😂).

      Delete
  2. Thanks for linking my review! Wait, are you saying Infinity Gate was a DNF? I'm going to start it this week and I've been hearing amazing things. Now I'm curious why it didn't work for you.

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    Replies
    1. Basically, it's hard sci-fi with characters that I wasn't feeling...hence the DNF.

      Delete
  3. Gosh, I hope your dad is alright and that doesn't happen again. That had to be scary.

    You did better than me with the books. My reading has really slowed down recently. I'll have to find a good book to read.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you!

      I hope a new wave of good books comes rolling you way 🙂.

      Delete
  4. So another rough month. *hugs* That thing with your eye sounds scary, and aging parents is tough, and you already have so many caretaking responsibilities. Hang in there, and I hope you enjoy all your new books.

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    Replies
    1. Rough months have become the new normal around here...Thank goodness for sweet friends who do their best to make them better 💚.

      Delete
  5. Thank you for sharing my posts, Roberta! I went to the eye doctor the other day and was told I needed vitamins for my dry eyes, they were trying to charge me 60.00 for vitamins. 60.00?! I found them for half the price at my grocery store. Anyways, that's my eye doctor adventures from March. Hope your dad feels better! Alas a lot of memory loss is just a sign of getting old but scary nonetheless.

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    1. I mean, what?!? 60.00 for vitamins?!? It's all supplements and vitamins these days, and the cost is outrageous enough without doctors doubling it...

      Thank you!

      Delete
  6. Hey there. Sorry that things haven't been turning around for you and your family. I continue to send positive energy your way. Is the eye better now?

    I was out of town for nearly two weeks and fell behind with everything. I was a book convention where I was a moderator, then spent a week with my family at my mom and dad's home in Florida. Now I'm trying to catch up, including blogging and reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! The eye is still blurry...I'll have to be patient for a while, and even so, I'm afraid it won't go back to normal on its own...

      Mod in a book convention? How exciting! I hope you'll talk about that on your blog.

      Delete
  7. Sorry to hear you're still dealing with both your husband's and your health problems. I'm also sorry to hear about your dad's. I'm sorry to hear about your eye. That must have been scary and I bet the blurriness and floaters are annoying. I hope you all start having better luck with your health!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm watching Lost with picture-in-picture as I'm reading your post, and as I had your gif of Locke on screen, Locke was also on screen on the show, haha.

    Anyway, I'm sorry all the health problems continue for you and your husband. And I can see why that's scary about your dad. I'm glad you could at least find a book that stunned you in the good way.

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    1. You know, sometimes I don't have a clue who the people in my gifs are, but I know Locke LOL. Even if I only saw bits of Lost in passing and was never interested in the whole thing (not a huge "survival story" gal LOL). I hope you're liking it better than me (the second time around?).

      Thank you!

      Delete
    2. Yeah, 2nd time. Funnily enough, I was enjoying it more in the first 2 seasons when it was more about just people surviving on a weird island. S3 has started to lose me a bit as it's become more about other stuff lol.

      Delete
    3. I know it's a...complicated show. I remember people speculating about it online, the whole purgatory theory, etc., and then...some got pissed LOL.

      Delete
  9. I think DNFing books is part of reading. Why waste time on a book that just isn't working for you? But you did seem to have read some good books.

    So many things to worry about. I don't know how you handle these situations and still standing. I wouldn't know what to do, I just lay down and take naps or read books. I think getting lost in books is really the thing to do just to combat the bad side of life. I hope thinks work out for your husband and you.

    Have a lovely day.

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    1. I'm a little sad when I DNF a book that I specifically requested, but then again, the publishers know the deal. You may think that a book is your cup of tea and then end up not liking it...

      I have no choice but to handle those situations and keep standing...but like you, I do get lost in books a lot. I would have gotten insane otherwise. Thank you!

      Delete
  10. Another crap month. I will have *no comment* since it doesn't matter what I say lol

    Thanks for the shout out!

    And I guess one comment. I'm very sorry to hear about your dad. I went through that with my father and it is very tough. My dad started losing his car in parking lots and taking rides from strangers home which is SCARY and luckily they were nice people.

    And re: you gifs in your comment above - I know you have zero idea who are sending to me most of the time but you mange to find my favorites anyway lol

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    1. "My dad started losing his car in parking lots and taking rides from strangers home which is SCARY and luckily they were nice people."
      😢 Now that is scary indeed.
      I hope it won't come to that - it's been an isolated episode so far.

      Ha! I can put "appropriate gif finder" in my resume LOL.

      Delete
  11. I'm so behind on commenting - sorry!

    Sorry you've had so much to deal with lately *sends hugs*

    And thank you so much for the link!

    I obviously don't know you're dad's health situation, but I *have* panicked so much that I've forgotten what I spent the last ten minutes doing... or half hour... or morning... anyway. Dementia's something to keep an eye out for, given his age, but trust me when I say it's possible to screw up your memory without it - on bad Anxiety days my memory is swiss cheese. And there's an entire 18-month period of my life which is a blur due to how chronically ill I was - cortisol (the stress hormone,) screws with memories a lot, for a whole range of reasons. Human biology is weird.

    Again, dementia is worth watching out for, but a one-time thing isn't really evidence of anything.

    ...Sorry, I rambled a bit there! Lol.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! Also for sharing your experience out loud 💚 (also, two months have passed and nothing of the sort happened to him anymore so far).

      Delete

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