Offbeat Offline: June 2024 (Plus Announcing a Short Hiatus)

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? Some doctor appointments for me and the hubs, and...that's it for my personal sphere. Also, we had both European and local elections, with dismaying results (though the left wing made a small comeback). Here goes my recap of June's most notable moments...

📚 SMALL STEPS. OK, I did better than last month, book-wise...but nevertheless, I still have 6 (unread) ARCs lined up for review 😱. Same old story - I breeze through my books, I plough through my reviews. Anyhow, I was able to cross a few ARCs from my list, which is something (especially since I managed not to immediately replace them LOL. But not for lack of trying...). Also, what's with all these afterlife stories lately? I read 6 books this month, and 3 of them were in the Afterlife category (not to mention the two YA novels in the genre on EW that I didn't request because they didn't sound up my alley on the whole...). Blog-wise, I planned to post a Tell Me Something Tuesday round-up at the end of June like I did at the end of April, but I decided to cross another review book from my list instead (sorry! I've been an awful co-host! but I can't do better at the moment. It's one or the other, and I have too many ARCs). Here's my monthly bookish recap...

Approvals (1):

• The Ravening by Daniel Church (Adult, supernatural)

Jenna's life has always been a fight. From the traumatic and mysterious loss of her mother on a dark woodland road when she was fifteen, to the abusive and controlling boyfriend she's recently escaped, she has learned that trust hurts you in the end.

Now Jenna's found what she hopes is happiness with her new girlfriend, Holly. But the world is full of darkness - some of it ancient, some of it closer to home...Evil, and those who serve it, will not let Jenna go.

The Ravening is a gripping, claustrophobic horror novel that sets a timeless nightmare against one woman and her belief in herself, and the possibility that somewhere, somehow, there is love in the world.

Reads (6):

• The Afterlife of Mal Caldera by Nadi Reed Perez (Adult, afterlife)

I've already posted my review...see below.

• Trespass Against Us by Leon Kemp (YA, afterlife)

Mini review already posted - see below.

• Parachute by Holly Rae Garcia (YA, multiverse)

Mini review already posted - see below.

• Whirly World by Brandon Jones (Adult, afterlife)

I've already posted my review...see below.

• The Building That Wasn't by Abigail Miles (Adult, sci-fi/multiverse)

This one was intriguing! and it turned out to be not only a sci-fi book, but a multiverse one - so, win/win! I wish I could have felt more for the characters, but I enjoyed it.

• The Drowning House by Cherie Priest (Adult, supernatural/thriller)

A genre mash-up with plenty of ambiance, perfect for the summer (though it rains a lot in it LOL. But there are summer flashbacks too!).

Reviews (5):

• The Afterlife of Mal Caldera by Nadi Reed Perez (see above)

I've already posted my review...

• Trespass Against Us by Leon Kemp (see above)

Mini review already posted.

• Parachute by Holly Rae Garcia (see above)

Mini review already posted, along with Trespass Against Us by Leon Kemp and Malicia by Steven Dos Santos (see previous link).

• Whirly World by Brandon Jones (see above)

I've already posted my review...

(Just so you realise how fucked up I am - I read the book in two days and planned to review it on the 26th, but it took me a week to write my review, and I only managed to schedule it four days before the appointed date...).

• The Building That Wasn't by Abigail Miles (see above)

It comes out this month, but of course, since I'll be on hiatus, I'm scheduling my review for August.

Normally at this point I would list the reviews I plan on posting and the TMST prompts I plan on answering in July, but as I said, I'm taking the rest of month off in order to get my act together (which involves reviewing some of those pesky ARCs 😅). In the meantime, here's the TMST prompt list for the rest of July, in case you want to join in:

• July 9th: Have you kept any hobbies that you started during the pandemic?
• July 16th: Stars, letter grades, nothing... how do you rate books?
• July 23rd: Book cons: are you attending? Would you like to attend? Which ones?
• July 30th: Where is your favourite place to read?

🩺 GETTING SOME ANSWERS. I managed to book an endocrinologist appointment for my thyroid nodule, and it was reassuring enough. Based on the ultrasound and the visit itself, the doctor informed me that my nodule has a liquid interior, and it might shrink back to nothing - plus, since it's only 8 mm (0.3 inches), it's too small to require testing. He said I'll need to schedule a check up before the end of the year (followed by another visit) to see how it's progressing, but for the time being, it's nothing to worry about. I also got a leg color doppler ultrasound, and my circulation is OK (but why do my legs itch every summer, then? And why did I get a subcutaneous hematoma in my left calf a few weeks ago?).

🏥 MEDICAL MADNESS. My husband finally managed to get an appointment to see if he's eligible for the hyperbaric chamber therapy to help with his stagnant leg wound, but we're still miles from nowhere. The nearest hospital that provides this therapy told him no, but not on the grounds of any medical contraindications - they made it clear enough that they prefer not to treat ulcers because there wouldn't be space enough in their structure for everyone (???!!! What about a two-year-old ulcer that doesn't look like it wants to heal?! Plus they did do that until a couple of years ago, we know it for sure). So, since on Monday my husband has an appointment with the difficult wound ward in charge of his case (at another hospital), he's going to talk them into redirecting him to YET another hospital that provides hyperbaric therapy for an evaluation. This is getting ridiculous and we're losing time, only because hospitals can't treat everyone anymore...what are we supposed to do, stay quiet and die in our bed without inconveniencing anyone? 🤬

🗳️ KEEPING TO THE RIGHT. The latest European and local elections went as expected - the far right is on the rise everywhere (bar the UK), and frankly, I'm scared. My town just reelected its first right-wing mayor for the second time, despite all the first-mandate promises he didn't keep (though he granted patronage to the local Pride, so at least there's that). It's like the dark ages all over again...

🌦️ NO SWEAT. The weather has been funky all month - more akin to early spring or fall than to summer. Random showers and winds, sometimes alternating with the sun in the space of a single day. And the heat has been more than reasonable. Where do I sign for it to go on for the next three months? 😉 Sorry, you seaside-loving people, but if a bit of rain is the price to pay in order not to succumb to a fiery heat, I'll take it any day...(This latest week has been a bit hotter, but still tolerable). 

PUBLISHING NEWS/TIPS

None this month.

THINK-PIECES, DISCUSSIONS, ORIGINAL FICTION

• Sam asks about the story behind your blog name.
• Lissa rants about ereaders and ebooks.
• Krysta wonders who is qualified to review books.
• Jessica discusses Goodreads ratings.
• Molly Templeton at Reactor advocates for the joy of reading books you don’t entirely understand.

REVIEWS/RECOMMENDATIONS

• Kit recommends 10 queer SFF graphic novels.
• The Orangutan Librarian lists her favourite wordless picture books.

OTHER

• Jenny Elise is back after a long hiatus.

That's it for now. My next post will be up on August 1st, and it will be an Offbeat Offline installment. Going to bury myself in ARCs...(...I know, I know, I have very little compared to most of you, but given the snail's pace at which I review, I feel overwhelmed all the same...).

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