Summer Shorts: Heart Gear by Tsuyoshi Takake, Golden Hills by Jennifer Weiner, The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman

It's summertime and reader attention spans are low. Who am I kidding? My reader attention span has been low for a few years now 🤣 But I'm going to just roll with it as an excuse to review a group of shorter length stories I've recently read. 

Heart Gear (Heart Gear #1) by Tsuyoshi Takaki ~ Goodreads  

Source: received an ARC fromt he publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've always been a sucker for the unfeeling robot/being that begins to feel human. Think...Data, Spock from Star Trek, Bishop from Aliens, Murderbot by Martha Wells.

Takaki has written a new manga series to challenge the reader as to what we perceive as being human and finding our purpose when given free will.

In this postapocalyptic future, a young human girl, 11 year old Roue, lives with her robot "uncle", Zett. His purpose is to take care of raise Roue. Their happy little bubble is burst when, not so friendly, robots find them but a robot named Chrome comes to the rescue. Only Chrome has no base program, no purpose, and isn't sure what to do or how to act. Zett and Roue take him on and, later, he becomes Roue's caretaker. But is he hero or villain? Soulless or becoming human? 

I honestly can't tell if this is meant to be an eventual romance or not because Chrome was just a metal can and became, inexplicably, hot when moved to a new host body lol And that cover really gives off romantic vibes to me even though Roue seems to young for that. The female characters (there are 2 - Roue and another robot) are occasionally overly sexualized, which is common with the genre.

I am not an avid graphic novel/manga reader so I feel sort of awkward weighing in on that aspect but I found some panels jumpy - story wise - and had to backtrack to get my bearings again. The art work was sometimes messy to the point of confusion. My arc was a black and white ebook though, so that could be totally different in the finished copy.

I think this issue did a great job of laying out the characters and story. I was totally invested and like I said, I love a good - what it means to be human story.

These next two books are Amazon exclusive stories and are included with a Prime or KU membership.

Golden Hills by Jennifer Weiner ~ Goodreads

This is a very short story - 58 pages print, just under 2 hours audio, which is how I read it.

Senatorial candidate, Ida Berkowitz, is headed for a win in her reelection bid. That is until a ghost from her past, Marissa Schuyler, announces a press conference that will bring up feelings and deeds long forgotten from their summer at Camp Golden Hills while they were just young girls. 

By Ida's reaction I was expecting some serious, I Know What You Did Last Summer level shenanigans but it felt more like nothing burger to me. But who knows? Maybe it could take her out - what do I know? lol

What I did like about this one was the look back at the perceptions we have about others and their circumstances and the weight of our past that we carry with us. There are also themes of forgiveness and growth, which I also enjoyed. 

Ida does discuss politics and political issues quite a bit so steer clear if that's not your jam. 

The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman ~ Goodreads

This one is an even leaner 36 pages. For such a short story, I think Hoffman did a great job unfolding the background of two estranged sisters, the reason why, New Yorker, Isabel Gibson goes back to her small Maine island childhood home, reconnects with family, saves a bookstore and finds love.

Ok, I didn't really love the romance aspect. Gasp! But it's a really short story and the way the love interest was crammed in there and rushed wasn't my favorite. But I did love the two sisters, Isabel's niece, the bookstore and the embracing of old recipes with new meanings. 

Very sweet! 

Currently reading!

I started this last year and set it aside. I just wasn't in the mood then. I picked it up again and I love it! I felt this way about a romance in a while so fingers crossed the second half is just as good. ~ Goodreads
 

Update: Life, Reading, Watching...

Hello, Hello! I hope you are all enjoying the summer (or at least surviving the heat - looking at you Roberta 😜).

SUMMERTIME

I don't really love hot weather but I LOVE summer because of all the flowers and produce and live on huge salads. 

I also found this fantastic salad dressing over at Endless Meals - The Best Ever Kale Salad Dressing  It really stands up to the taste and texture of kale but I think it would be amazing with root vegetables or in veggie bowls. 

I never used to make my own dressings but I've bee experimenting (& finally cracking open all the cookbooks I own!). I haven't repurchased my standby Panera dressing yet either. 

 LIFE

After 7 months of testing and Dr visits, I finally got to the ENT (ear, nose & throat specialist) to discuss my breathing/coughing issues. Every Dr I saw kept telling me - THIS is who you have to see, they are the ones who can test you fully/properly. Welp, he looked down my nose and throat in the office - didn't see anything serious and basically said I have allergies and don't work out hard enough. 

Now - I work out doing cardio 5 days per week, yoga, walk, meditate etc. And my breathing problems are in situations that not one person has problems with unless they have other problems like asthma, COPD etc. My heart and lungs are ok (other than the small spots I have to have rechecked in November). 

He was supposed to be the Dr that did a full endoscope and testing to see if I have any obstructions, damage, infections or anything like that. I tried to talk to him about my reflux which causes severe coughing fits but he was like....hahaha, you're chasing down rabbit holes now. So continue with your speech therapist (who is helping me enormously because she gets it but can't fully fix it because that's not exactly what's wrong) and don't be lazy. So that's that. 

They tell you not to google your illness or research online - only talk to a specialist - but then they don't listen when you get to them. The Dr's that do get it aren't in the correct specialty to do the testing so you're stuck. The only reason I am living as well as I am with whatever tf is going on, is through my own research. SO frustrating. 

Sorry, I had some pent up venting to let out lol

On to lighter fare!

Ripley is terrified of dogs & crowds so it's hard to take her to busy places but I want to continue working with her because she's come so far. We bought a backpack with the thought that she could still look at things but know she's safe up high up with Dad. I was sure she was going to be a brat kicking and twisting in there but nope - she loved it! Almost too much. Instead of sitting high and looking out, she hangs back like a heavy slug lol But it worked great. We did this a few times and now this past weekend she was able to walk around the farmers market more (out of the backpack) without panicking. 

READING

I'm reading approximately 1 bajillion books at one time right now lol Here are the three audiobooks I'm listening to. TOTALLY different so I bounce around depending on my mood. 

The Love Hypothesis is one of my favorites but I haven't been able to get into anymore of Hazelwood's books since then. I thought I would switch to audio for Love, Theoretically and see if it made a difference. It did. At first, but now I'm realizing that TLH was a one shot thing with this author for me. Things are repetitive to the point of almost identical scenes and character traits (even though each book has a different premise). I don't want to harsh on anyone's else's love - this is just how I feel. ~ Goodreads (Source: received an ALC from the publisher via Libro.fm)

There are No Stupid Questions...in Science is kind of a science for dummies or science in a hurry. Elson answers reader questions in a quick, witty way. Some of the humor seems forced but it's a fun listen while driving or for short listening bursts. ~ Goodreads (Source: received an ALC from the publisher, via Libro.fm)

Wool Omnibus is the series of short stories that the new Apple+ TV series is based on. I did a buddy watch with Greg and we have questions we don't feel like waiting 2 years to have answered - so now we're doing a buddy read. It's sticking very close to how the series unfolded but filling in a few blanks so I'm enjoying it. It's long though with 2 more books to the series, so it will be a while before I ever finish it lol ~ Goodreads (Source: Library loan)

I'm also reading The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy by Megan Bannon on my Kindle. I started this last night and was immediately smitten. It's been a long time that I was instantly drawn to a story and characters so I'm hoping this one holds! ~ Goodreads (Source: Purchased eons ago)

I've also had several others not even worth mentioning...

WATCHING

We've been on a bit of a documentary kick and watched docs about Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new Wham! documentary. All on Netflix - all pretty good.

Ted Lasso, Silo and The After Party, Hijack on Apple+

Sweet Tooth S2 and Extraction 2 on Netflix

My rec is Nimona on Netflix. I wasn't too enamored with the trailer but the movie is the sweetest. 

Tell me what you've all been up to!