2015 book: Seraphina / RL story with a happy ending

[thistlechaser]

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Rating: Liked (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)
(Book received free for review from Random House.)



The good: I loved the author's writing. Her world was detailed and interesting, and she quickly drew me into the story.

The bad: This was a "chapter sample". I've never been given one of those for review before. (Thus the short review, how much can you say about a chapter sample?)

The future: I already bought a copy of the complete book, which I'll read and review next.

---

RL happenings: Like many people who live in an apartment, I hate my upstairs neighbors. Oh but I have really good reason to. They're the kind who cannot wake up when their alarm goes off. They let it sound for many minutes before they turn it off. This is a problem as they get up at 2 AM, 3 AM, 4 AM, or 4:45 AM. Every morning. Weekends included.

Once they're up, they're VERY loud. Stomping and yelling to each other. Run the dishwasher at 4 AM? Sure! This morning, Sunday morning, they were using their washing machine at 5 AM. But hey, I was awake at 4 AM thanks to them already, so no big deal?

I'm the type who, once they wake up, they're awake -- there's no going back to sleep for me. That means I tend to be very, very tired.

This morning they were especially loud, including what sounded like them throwing everything they own down the stairs. Turns out that was basically what they were doing. Looks like they were moving out, YAY. Sleep! Perhaps tonight I'll get a full night's rest!

Comments

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

So long as you don't stomp, yell, or slam things, people probably think you're a good neighbor!

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

I am a good neighbor. I leave well enough alone, I will watch/feed/litterscoop cats when people are on vacation , I will even cook and share from time to time (especially when tragedies strike.

I am, I was kind of sad to discover, a terrible roommate. I'm clean, I cook and share, I'm not nosy or intrusive...well, there's this one problem I have. My last roommate was a shy, very nerdy software developer (hey, there's a reason we were roommates). My girlfriend at the time was loud. We didn't have sex at weird hours or anything, but apparently a few hours of her screaming orgasms bothered him. Never enough to say anything until he moved out, and our mutual friends told me.

If he'd just've said something, I could've invested in a gag. She wouldn't have complained (especially once it was on).

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Heh! I could see how that would be challenging in a roommate. Hopefully he found somewhere that was a better fit for him.

I'm with you, I think I'm a good neighbor (I'm quiet, I don't have parties or anything), but I'd be a poor roommate (though hopefully I'll never be forced into a situation where I have to share my living space with a stranger).

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

I'd much prefer you to my neighbor - your cat is adorable if skittish (i don't mind - I help socialize some of the particularly scaredy cats at local shelters), vs my neighbor's who 1 of 3 are extremely people-aggressive. Watched her cats while she was on vacation once and I ended up fencing the aggressive one who charged me while i was refilling food bowls (cat fencing - it charges and swipes, I dodge and nose-boop. Even aggressive cats tire quickly of being outmaneuvered and gently booped).

Also, you aren't likely to pee in our front yard because you're too drunk to a) realize wrong house and b) get key into door lock. Did I mention she's a librarian? The excitement of urban homeownership.

Also my wife has better volume control so I don't have that problem anymore.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, Ellie isn't aggressive at all. And so long as strangers don't approach her, she's not too skittish. She'll sit and watch new people from a few feet away (though I'm not sure if it's because she's curious or of she just wants a good view of them in case they do something she has to react to -- probably both).

Ha! I could see nose-booping being quite effective, yes.

And wooooow, no, I can't remember the last time I peed outside, but I can assure you that I must have been in the single digit age range...