Thought Corner: Revisiting How To Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price Seven Years Later

I first read Catherine Price’s How To Break Up With Your Phone seven years ago (in March), and it was for review. I remember liking this book, even though nonfiction, specifically self-help, isn’t something I typically reach for. Since then, it’s sort of sat on my shelf and become the kind of book I would always look at and think it was time to revisit it, but somehow I never made the time for it (even though its short, coming in under two hundred pages). In 2025, I’ve gotten more reflective about the internet at large, and as a result, I took a detour last month and ended up rereading this book.

Even after six years, How To Break Up With Your Phone retains its timeliness, especially with its chapters about social media, memory, and the way technology intersects with our lives, in both helpful and harmful ways. It’s an excellent book. And, even though this was a reread, I was left with plenty to think about by the end of it (essentially food for thought), because when I thought about it, I’m not sure I fully appreciated everything this book does when I first read it. At least, the topic it covers wasn’t as relevant to me then as it is now, especially when lately I’ve been thinking more and more about how I want to engage with the internet and social media.

For example, at the beginning of 2025, I thought I would dust off my old Instagram account and start posting regularly about books again—even if it was only once a week—since I no longer use twitter to share even links to blog posts. But, then Meta changed its policy, and I was left in the same position as before. I know there are other platforms I could try, but I haven’t done that, especially when I know it’s just as easy to post things like reviews and photos to the blog too.

All that to say, How To Break Up With Your Phone offered plenty of information to engage with independently, but it could also serve as a starting point for conversations.

Music Monday (313): Olivier Deriviere, Nova Twins

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: Over the weekend, I started watching some playthroughs of South of Midnight, Compulsion Games's newest release. And, oh man, I'm loving everything about it so far. A definite highlight has been the soundtrack. My first pick this week is The Floods by Olivier Deriviere.

And, another one of my favorites from the soundtrack is The Storm.

Adri: I'm excited for Nova Twins' upcoming album, Parasites & Butterflies. So my pick this week is Soprano.

What are you listening to this week?

The Friday 56 (253) & Book Beginnings: How To Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. **Note: Freda @ Freda's Voice is taking a break from The Friday 56; Anne @Head is Full of Books is hosting for now.**

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Do you feel addicted to your phone? Do you frequently pick it up “just to check,” only to look up forty-five minutes later wondering where the time has gone? Does social media make you anxious? Have you tried to spend less time mindlessly scrolling—and failed? If so, this book is your solution.

Award-winning health and science journalist and TED speaker Catherine Price presents a practical, evidence-based 30-day digital detox plan that will help you break up—and then make up—with your phone. The goal: better mental health, improved screen-life balance, and a long-term relationship with technology that feels good. This engaging, user-friendly guide explains how our smartphones and apps are designed to be addictive and how the time we spend on them is increasing our anxiety and damaging our abilities to focus, think deeply, form new memories, generate ideas, and be present in our most important relationships. Next, it walks you through an effective and easy-to-follow 30-day plan that has already helped thousands of people worldwide break their phone addictions and feel more fully alive. Whether you need help for yourself or for your family, friends, students, colleagues, clients, or community, How to Break Up with Your Phone is the ultimate guide to digital detoxing. It’s guaranteed to help you put down your phone—and come back to life.

Beginning: "Let's get something clear from the start: the point of this book is not to get you to throw your phone under a bus."

56: "The second task required for concentration doesn't get as much, well, attention. But it's just as important--if not more so: we need to be able to ignore distractions."

Comments: I reread How To Break Up With Your Phone last month. It was kind of refreshing to revisit this one after so many years, especially with how relevant some of the chapters still are (but more on that on an upcoming blog post). What are you reading this week? 

Quarterly Recap: January-March (2025)

It’s April…already. Somehow, we’ve made it four months into 2025, and so that means it’s time to look back at everything that’s been happening on the blog for the past three months. As always, I’m starting with reviews.

January, February, and March Reviews...

• A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames
• The Witless Protection Program by Maria DiRico
• Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts

January, February, and March Other Blog Posts...

• What I've Been Listening To: January-February
• Doctor Who: Blink, Silence in the Library, and Forest of the Dead
• Short Stories I Read In January
• Nutcracker: The Motion Picture
• Short Stories I Read In February
• What I've Been Listening To: November-December 2024
• Happy New Year!
• New Year, New Stuff
• We're Back & Some House Keeping

As I’m writing this, I’m currently working my way through King’s The Shining. So, I’ll probably mention the book and my thoughts about it later when, you know, I actually finish reading it. Also, looking ahead, some of my most anticipated books this year are coming up. And, on the subject of the blog, I have no concrete plans other than to maintain my scaled back approach since, so far, it’s left me with more time to do others things as well as to just take my time with what I’m reading and sit with any given story longer than what I used to. It’s been great.

 

Short Stories I Read In February

It’s the twenty-ninth of March. So it’s time to write about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in February.

This month was a much slower one, so I settled for reading a couple of stories from Naomi Novik’s short fiction collection, Buried Deep and Other Stories. I went into this one knowing I would likely encounter spoilers for Novik’s other series, including The Scholomance (which I have two books left to read). However, it doesn’t bother me or ruin my potential enjoyment, but it is something to keep in mind.

Araminta, Or, The Wreck Of The Amphidrake is the first story in the collection. Lady Araminta often went-against-the-grain, and as the story tells, she was caught reading a spellbook among other things. So a solution was reached: she was going to get married. But, as the way these things typically go in fiction, even the best laid plans can (and often do) go awry. I liked the seafaring and fantasy aspect of this story as well as Lady Araminta’s personality, her practical way of thinking, her inclination toward adventure, and her desire to do anything other than go home and do what was expected. That plus the environmental dangers and a rather inventive solution to Lady Araminta’s problems, made a story I found interesting and ultimately wanted more of.

Then there was After Hours, a story set in the Scholomance (and I believe it takes place after the end of the trilogy), about a mushroom witch who—after finding herself backed into a corner—enacts a desperate plan. But, the rules are there for a reason, and to break them is really at your own peril. And that was, ultimately, part of the lesson in the story for Beata. Oh, and it’s good to have friends/be on friendly terms with your roommate—because the Scholomance had its reasons for pairing people. Honestly, I adored this story, and I reminded me what I loved about A Deadly Education. And, hopefully, maybe, I’ll have time to take a look at the series again, like I did with The Raven Cycle.

From Around the Web…

• Thee Enduring Appeal of Magnificent Trees and Fantasy Forests [Kali Wallace; Reactor Magazine; January 30, 2025]: It's an essay about trees (both real world and of the magical/imagined variety from various works of fiction and media). 

• Choose Your Fighter: YA versus Adult [Maggie Stiefvater Substack; December 6, 2024]: I enjoyed this essay from Maggie Stiefvater about her decision/mindset/approach to making the switch from YA to Adult fiction.

Music Monday (312): Michi, Mothica

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: I've been listening to Michi lately, specifically her latest album, Dirty Talk. It's Disco/Funk music, and I love it! Check out one of my favorites: Walking Away.

Adri: Last Music Monday, I picked Red by Mothica and was going to listen to the rest of the album. However, I waited when I saw there was going to be a visual version. So of course my pick this week is Kissing Death (Visual Album) by Mothica.

What are you listening to this week?

What I've Been Listening To: January-February

One type of media which has brought me some measure of joy and relaxation at the current moment is: music. January and February saw the release of some of my most anticipated albums, and with how many of them I enjoyed, the first quarter of 2025 has set the bar pretty high. And with that, welcome back to the music minded corner of Our Thoughts Precisely!

Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd is supposed to be his last under this particular name. Honestly, this album is a vibe. It was a sequel to Dawn FM and a callback to his previous work, mixing in references, themes, and dark imagery while also pulling in beats which could sound familiar at times but with a fresh take. Hurry Up Tomorrow was contemplative; an album that was in conversation with The Weeknd’s career and discography—the effects of the persona on the person behind the artist—while, at the same time, as the title suggests, it was looking forward.

I’m an occasional listener when it comes to Kendrick Lamar, as such his latest album, GNX, wasn’t initially on my radar. However, I circled back to it after his Super Bowl Halftime performance, particularly in search of his collaboration with SZA, Luther, which was one of the songs they performed. GNX felt like a hip-hop and rap album from the early 2000s but with an update. Kendrick Lamar delivers some excellent verses over quality production.

Next, I checked out four artists—The Pocket Queen, ALT BLK ERA, Defences, and Justice— based on Adri’s recommendation.

Justice’s Hyperdrama is a solid electronic album with a number of great features including with Tame Impala (Neverender, One Night/All Night), Thundercat (The End), Miguel (Saturnine), RIMON (Afterimage), Connan Mockasin (Explorer), and The Flints (Mannequin Love).

Then Groove Theory Vol. 1 by The Pocket Queen is a short EP. I really like this artist’s style. Her music is almost like a drumming showcase while it also takes some influence from R&B and disco, for a very smooth listening experience—this is also true for her latest song, Good Vibes featuring Duckwrth.

Shadowlight by Defences and Rave Immortal by ALT BLK ERA scratched my itch for rock music. Shadwlight falls on the heavier side standing firmly in metal. All-in-all, it’s an incredibly enjoyable album. And then there’s Rave Immortal, which is the first of the two rave inspired albums I’ve listened to so far this year. It’s rock and, in the words of Adri, “dubstep,” but it isn’t all fun and game, there are some reflective songs there too (Straight To Heart and Come On Outside for example).

And last, but certainly not least: Eusexua by FKA Twigs. This was my most anticipated release for the first quarter of 2025, and it did everything I hoped it would. It kind of filled the space left by Brat with FKA Twigs’s take on rave. They’re two very different albums, and Eusexua, in particular, has a grungier party vibe—a little strange, a little ethereal—which was complimented by Twigs’s vocals.

Here are some singles which made it onto my playlist: Weight of Desire by Tennis, Disease and Abracadabra by Lady Gaga, Monsters by Nova Twins, Good Vibes by The Pocket Queen featuring Duckwrth, Meddle In The Mold-A Colors Show by Banks, and Butterfly by Marina.

Doctor Who: Blink, Silence in the Library & Forest of the Dead

On Christmas Day, my co-blogger and I ended up watching a marathon of Doctor Who episodes on BBC America, rather than other holiday staples. I was in, because there were showing some of my favorites, like Blink, as well as episodes I’d missed such as the two part story in Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead.

Where to begin? Well, Blink, for starters, is one of my favorite episodes of Doctor Who. I always remembered it best for the montage of gargoyles and statues at the end, while the Doctor says “Don’t blink,” as well as for the design of the Weeping Angels and the menace they presented in the narrative. What I think is interesting is how little the Doctor and Martha appear in this episode but how impactful they still are to—who is arguably the main character in this story—Sally Sparrow, who is drawn in to this complex web, this almost cat and mouse game.

Then there’s the two part story: Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead. The Doctor and Donna arrive at a library, one that’s the size of a planet, which presented a whole new complicated and puzzling set of circumstances. How can so many people be saved and yet there are no survivors? And it’s here where the Doctor and Donna’s paths crossed with River Song—who knew more about the Doctor than he knew of her—and a motley crew of explorers, tasked with figuring out what occurred in the library. Like Blink, Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead was complex, engrossing, and eerie. It was a mission destined to go haywire. And, it had these emotional beats taking place, so when something occurred you kind of experience the horror of the situation as its happening to the characters.

Some of the reasons why these episodes resonate so much with me are because of the non-linear timelines affected how the Doctor and Donna or Martha interacted with other characters. And for the atmosphere, this almost thriller mystery-esque setup that wants to lean more toward horror, and it does with the way the events play out as well as how the Weeping Angels and the Vashta Nerada impact the stories.

It was nice to revisit Blink. And, it was great to finally see how River Song was introduced to the series.

Music Monday (311): Courtnie & Phoelix, Mothica, Mary J. Blige and Jadakiss

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: I've been listening to a lot of good music lately, from favorites like Banks and Lady Gaga, and new-to-me artists like my pick for today's Music Monday: It's Alright by Courtnie featuring Phoelix. I love this song so much!

Adri: This week my pick is by another artist I came across (and need to listen to everything else by). That is Red by Mothica.

Andrea: Recently, I had the chance to attend the Las Vegas stop of Mary J. Blige's The For My Fans Tour. Needless to say, her music remains apart of my daily playlist. I'm currently listening to You Ain't The Only One and Need You More featuring Jadakiss. Have amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames

Title: A Harvest of Hearts

Series: n/a
Author: Andrea Eames
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Romance
Publisher/Publication Date: Erewhon Books; March 4, 2025

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble

Synopsis from Goodreads...

In the beloved tradition of Howl’s Moving Castle, a whimsical and unforgettable story of fantastic adventure, common sense, and the power of love to overcome the greatest of obstacles . . .

Before Foss Butcher was Snagged, she thought no more of the magic-users than did anyone else in her tiny village. Sometimes gorgeous women in impossible carriages rolled into town and took bits of people’s hearts. Everyone knew hearts fueled their magic. But Foss, plain, clumsy, and practical as a boot, never expected anyone would want hers. True enough, when the only sorcerer in the kingdom stepped from his glossy carriage, he didn’t intend to hook Foss. Sylvester’s riot of black curls and perfectly etched cheekbones caught her eye a moment too long, that was all. Suddenly, Foss is cursed and finds herself stomping toward the grand City to keep his enchanted House, where her only friend is a talking cat and the walls themselves have moods. But as Foss learns the ways of magic, she realizes she’s far from its only unwilling captive. Even Sylvester is hemmed in by spells and threats. It’s said this sorcery protects king, country, and order for thousands. If Foss wants to free herself—and, perhaps, Sylvester—she’ll have to confront it all . . . and uncover the blight nestled in the heart of the kingdom itself.

Andrea Eames’s, A Harvest of Hearts, is compared to Howl’s Moving Castle, which was enough of a hook to sell the story to me. After all, not only did I read Diana Wynn Jones’s novel but I also saw the movie version of Howl’s Moving Castle too. Even so, I wasn’t expecting a retelling or something that held on to its influences too much. And, while you could see where the inspiration was, A Harvest of Hearts is its own story with its own merits. I was thoroughly entertained.

It starts off with Foss, who, like Sophie, had a very low esteem/opinion of herself/worth. And, at first, she viewed the activity of the sorceresses with some distance, figuring she was beneath their notice, until she was snagged, and her personal stakes rose exponentially. It was a good place to start, as it set up a mystery—will she be able to free herself or won’t she—and which gave the story an early push.

Sometimes with romantasy, the plot can get lost behind the romance, which, you know, I get it. Romance first and foremost, which I have nothing against—I’ll pick up a romantasy when I need something lighter or purely distracting to read. However, after reading this book, I’d be cautious about having that expectation when approaching this book. A Harvest of Hearts was whimsical and fairy tale-esque with a talking cat, a strangely living house, and a mercurial sorcerer—which I’ll admit was very Howl’s Moving Castle of the story. However, the romance is very slow burn, and it remained relatively balanced with the plot. And the latter went in directions I wasn’t expecting, as the strange eeriness was further explored, peeling away the veneer and delving into the terrible, gruesome nature of hearts as a form of currency and magic.

I actually liked that about A Harvest of Hearts. The price for magic was an interesting one anyway, and I appreciated how much detail and time was devoted to exploring the context of the setting alongside the relationship between the characters—particularly Foss, the cat, and the sorcerer, Sylvester.

Overall, there was plenty to like about A Harvest of Hearts.

About the author....

Andrea Eames was born in 1985. She was brought up in Zimbabwe, where she attended a Jewish school for six years, a Hindu school for one, a Catholic convent school for two and a half, and then the American International School in Harare for two years. Andrea's family moved to New Zealand in 2002. Andrea has worked as a bookseller and editor and now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband.

Goodreads   Instagram

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Erewhon Books [Kensington]) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Short Stories I Read In January

It’s the twenty-eighth of February, so welcome back to Short Stories! Today I’m going to go over the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in January.

The Angel’s Share by Martin Cahill (Reactor Magazine; July 24, 2024)

When I think of guardian angels in fiction, they typically end up as benevolent guides who are only doing what’s best to help their charges (or at least attempt to). But, Cahill’s The Angel’s Share, turns that concept on its head with the situation the character, Mrs. Mead, is embroiled with .It was rather peculiar: an “infestation of 32 angels.” And the irony is: they do seem to help by catering to Mrs. Mead. However, the story drives home the point how much Mrs. Mead’s past has become a trap and a spiral; loss of control under the guise of comfort. How this kind of help was ultimately detrimental, revealing the cloying but entirely conditional nature, which was menacing rather than benevolent. And the angels, I found them an eerie, spectral presence throughout the story. They weren’t ghosts, but there was something vampire-esque about the way they engaged with Mrs. Mead. That being said, The Angel’s Share was, despite the intrinsic horror of what was becoming of the main character’s life, a story which ended on a hopeful note.

I’m Not Disappointed Just Mad AKA The Heaviest Couch in the Known Universe by Daryl Gregory (Reactor Magazine; November 20, 2024)

I haven’t read anything by Daryl Gregory since his novella, The Album of Dr. Moreau. So I was excited to finally mark this one off my list. I’m Not Disappointed Just Mad AKA The Heaviest Couch in the Known Universe was absurd. I mean, they were moving a couch at the same time as an apparent alien invasion! It was lot of fun to read and surprisingly complicated with its character depth as well as the scope of the story. The sci-fi, first contact, space faring adventure aspect of it was done quite well with sufficient stakes to make what happened personal for Tindal. And, honestly, I just found this story—its unusual structure and fourth wall breaks—incredibly readable.

Parthenogenesis by Stephen Graham Jones (Reactor Magazine; October 2, 2024)

Two friends are moving across the country. So, a road trip right? Well, Stephen Graham Jone’s Parthenogenesis takes on an eerie twist. The horror of this story is how effectively it builds up the characters of Matty and Jac. It shows how their friendship works as they take turns inventing a strange story to pass the time, while the narrative also makes you feel for their situation—the interruption of their move, the faultiness of the truck. And, because the story made me want to be attached to the characters, it was why their fate is all that more horrifying to think about.

From around the web…

• A Specter Is Haunting Catesby Wran: “Smoke Ghost” by Fritz Leiber [Sam Reader; Reactor Magazine; January 14, 2025]: For the past year or so, I’ve enjoyed Sam Reader’s column, Dissecting The Dark Descent. One of the latest entries takes a look at Fritz Leiber’s story, Smoke Ghost.

• Trying and Failing to Figure Out “Escapism” in Books [Molly Templeton’ Reactor Magazine; January 9, 2025]: the title is pretty accurate when it comes to describing what this particular column is about.

• Psychopomp Is Relaunching Fantasy Magazine [Vanessa Armstrong; Reactor Magazine; January 16, 2025]: I saw this announcement and thought it should mention it here too. Fantasy Magazine is being relaunched, which speaks for itself.

Music Monday (310): The Pocket Queen, Duckwrth, Lady Gaga

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: Lady Gaga's Abracadabra is one of my favorite songs lately, and she recently released the rehearsal video for it. I like it, because it offers a look at the choreography without the styling of the music video. Check it out below!

Adri: This week, my pick is Good Vibes by The Pocket Queen featuring Duckwrth. It's one that was in my recommendations and another one that's too short.

What are you listening to this week?