More Harley Quinn

My local library will no longer be subscribing to Hoopla. :(  Hoopla was where I read the majority of the Harley Quinn series last year.  With service ending, I decided to download Rebirth volumes 4-6 and binge through them before the end of the year.  Unfortunately I didn't realize there was one more volume I could have downloaded (they changed the numbering on the series so the newest graphic novel is "Volume 1" but it collects Harley Quinn issues 43-49; I used my last Hoopla download for a random other book before I realized what had happened).

So Volume 4 starts off with a visit from Harley's parents.  Things of course go wrong, but her parents end up really cool people who support her and are proud of her.  Then in Volume 5, Harley decides to finally take on the mayor of New York City by hitting him where it really hurts: she runs for election opposite him!  And what makes it all the more infuriating, pretty much every time she does something the city of New York loves her for it!  Then in Volume 6, Harley is dealing with the aftermath of the election (she lost someone she really cares about) and just wants to be left alone so her friends aren't put into more danger from her being around.  Unfortunately the Penguin takes that opportunity to invite many of the Gotham super villains to Coney Island in an attempt to take over!

I really enjoyed reading Harley's adventures again, and I'm sad that the library hasn't been getting these graphic novels outside of Hoopla.  :( 

The Little Prince

My brother read The Little Prince not too long ago and really liked it.  He was recommending that I read it.  I wasn't planning on reading it quite yet, but then I was in the middle of a nonfiction book, Hustle: the Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning, and Momentum, when a chapter opened with talk of The Little Prince.  I stopped reading Hustle that night and went looking for The Little Prince.  I considered getting it from the library the next day, but lucked out and found it on Hoopla (added bonus - I was able to snag it before the library hit their daily lending limit on Hoopla!)

The Little Prince takes place in the desert when a pilot crashes and meets the titular little prince.  Over eight days, while the pilot tried to fix his plane, the two talk.  The pilot slowly learns where the little prince came from, and more importantly, the why.

I'm honestly not very sure how I feel about this book (I finished it four days ago and still haven't given it a rating on Goodreads).  I liked some parts of it, but I had a hard time connecting with the story as a whole.  I do wonder if maybe I need to try reading a different version?  If I just couldn't connect with the translator in the version I read?  I know I was having problems with grammar errors in the Hoopla version.  Or otherwise if I just need to reread it?  Well, whatever it was, I think I will ask my brother if I can borrow his copy and give The Little Prince another shot at some point in the future.

Harley Quinn

Over the last few months, I read all of the Harley Quinn graphic novels I could get my hands on.  I didn't mark them down on Goodreads because I didn't feel like using them for my reading challenge.  But I thought I should say something about them on here. 

I started with the three Harley Quinn rebirth volumes that are out so far (#4 comes out in January).  I think that was back in September when I started them.  Then when I finished those, I started in on the series that came before Rebirth (which had six volumes). Most of the volumes are available on Hoopla, so I read them there.  But two of them weren't; luckily I was able to get them from the library.

I don't remember why exactly I started reading these, but I really enjoyed them.  Harley herself has a heart of gold - she's just a bit misguided in her means.  These stories also aren't your typical super-hero stories: she does kill people without remorse when they break her code. 

I really liked the Rebirth series....but it was a little confusing at first because she's already got all her friends and her building and her Gang of Harleys.  So it was good to go back and read the series before Rebirth because it explained everything that happened to get her to that point.  I'm really looking forward to the next volume in the new year. :)

You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life: Simple 4-Minute Meditations for Inspiration, Transformation, and True Bliss

I've been interested in meditation for a few months now.  I went looking for a local class, but nothing I could find seemed to be at a good time for me.  Then I saw an interview with the author of Unplug: A Simple Guide to Meditation for Busy Skeptics and Modern Soul Seekers.  While researching that book (I was hoping to get it from my local library, but it wasn't available), I stumbled on Rebekah Borucki's You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life.  It was rated better, AND it was available for free through Hoopla, the library streaming service.  Sounded like a win to me.

Now full disclosure: I didn't actually try most of the meditations.  Borucki includes 27 guided meditations.  I tried 2 so far. So even though I finished the book, I would not say I have a meditation practice at this point in time. But that's okay.  I'd say I'm on my way to getting one.  Especially since I bought a physical copy of the book for myself.  I really liked how Borucki approached meditation.  Anyone can fit in a few minutes in their day for a bit of self-reflection and calm.  She also shows you how meditation helped her in her life; it's very easy to see how it can help you in yours from her examples.  Some of the later chapters may be a bit of a turn-off to people who aren't overly religious (she talks a lot about divine purpose, etc), but I honestly think that even with this, you will still be able to get the basics of meditation; don't forget, meditation is all about trying to calm your mind and listen to your inner wisdom.  You don't need to believe in a higher power to enjoy these benefits.  So if you're interested in learning about meditation, I think this is a fabulous book to start with.