Brittany Vesterback (@bvesterback)

A book for pleasure, a book for incipient panic, and a book for professional development #booksky #amreading

Three books arranged in a loose triptych on a wood table. A reddish book with a mushroom motif, "A Trade in Blood" by Robert Jackson Bennett, a white book featuring human legs and a horse head "The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI" by Cory Doctorow, and an orange book with that 2010s ray motif common to 2010s nonfiction books "Indexing Names" by Noeline Bridge.

Loving The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, feels like a fantasy, unhinged female Sherlock Holmes with equally but differently unhinged Watson, in a lush, coastal setting. With a touch of Pacific Rim (ie. omnipresent existential threat of massive leviathans). #booksky A quote I liked:

An photo of a section of text from The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett that reads: "What a tool cynicism is to the corrupt, claiming the whole of the creation is broken and fraudulent, and thus we are all excused to indulge in whatever sins we wish—for what's a little more unfairness, in this unfair world? Wise you were, Din, to shut your ears to it."

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Dec 18

So excited to have been one of the winners of @readlocalbc.bsky.social and @thetyee.ca contest! My Indigenous Voices book box arrived today, and I can't wait to start reading. (Not enough space here, so check the image alt text for authors, titles, and publishers.)

An open box with three books and a postcard propped up inside. The books are (left to right) a body more tolerable by jaye simpson (Arsenal Pulp Press), ᑭᐢᑭᓱᒥᑐᐠ kiskisomitok by ᑳᐯᓵᑳᐢᑌᐠ reuben quinn (Talonbooks), and Decolonization and Me by Phyllis Webstad and Kristy McLeod (Medicine Wheel Publishing). The postcard says "Read Local BC" and features a collage of BC-themed vignettes.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 22

I ordered it Tuesday and it's already here and looking beautiful! All profits go to UNICEF Gaza Appeal @naddcalendar.bsky.social

The 2026 fan calendar for Not Another D&D podcast!

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Apr 25

Finally starting The Book That Held Her Heart by @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social #amreading #currentlyreading #booksky Also, reminder that Canadian Independent Bookstore Day is this Saturday, so visit your indies! #CIBD2025

A copy of The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence. The cover features a raven in the foreground and staircases winding among bookshelves. A bookmark for Canadian Independent Bookstore Day on April 26, 2025 marks my place.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Mar 22

Just picked up Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, ready to be hurt #amreading #currentlyreading #booksky

Cover of ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ by Suzanne Collins. A purple cover with a golden motif of a snake and a mockingjay facing each other over spikes. Also, part of my leg and my dog’s red blanket.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Mar 2

One of the starkest and most revealing quotes, for me, from Slaughterhouse Five

America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. To quote the American humorist Kin Hubbard, 'It ain’t no disgrace to be poor, but it might as well be.' It is in fact a crime for an American to be poor, even though America is a nation of poor. Every other nation has folk traditions of men who were poor but extremely wise and virtuous, and therefore more estimable than anyone with power and gold. No such tales are told by the American poor. They mock themselves and glorify their betters. The meanest eating or drinking establishment, owned by a man who is himself poor, is very likely to have a sign on its wall asking this cruel question: 'if you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich?' There will also be an American flag no larger than a child’s hand – glued to a lollipop stick and flying from the cash register.

Americans, like human beings everywhere, believe many things that are obviously untrue. Their most destructive untruth is that it is very easy for any American to make money. They will not acknowledge how in fact hard money is to come by, and, therefore, those who have no money blame and blame and blame themselves. This inward blame has been a treasure for the rich and powerful, who have had to do less for their poor, publicly and privately, than any other ruling class since, say Napoleonic times. Many novelties have come from America. The most startling of these, a thing without precedent, is a mass of undignified poor. They do not love one another because they do not love themselves.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Mar 2

#dog for the existentially distressed

A small black dog with curly hair who isn’t sure if she likes this chair

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Mar 1

#amreading #currentlyreading Finally reading Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea books, and On Tyranny by @timothysnyder.bsky.social #booksky

Two books on a purple background: one is ‘Earthsea: The First Four Books’ by Ursula K. Le Guin and the other is ‘On Tyranny:Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century’ by Timothy Snyder

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Feb 6

Another year in the last week, another picture of my dog

A black dog with snow stuck in her fur stands on a snowy doorstep waiting to come inside. Not pictured: me trying to grab a towel to get the little snowballs off her paws before she can sneak past me.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Jan 31

Just started but am already enjoying @annaleen.bsky.social‘s The Terraformers. Not sure yet if #amreading is much of a thing on #booksky but since I’m here I may as well share :) (re-post because I forgot alt-text)

The cover of The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz. The title is written vertically over a tower that sits in front of a horizon at Dawn or dusk, beside a body of water. The author’s name and a blurb by N.K. Jemisin sits to the left. Beside the book is a bookmark from the bookseller, Black Bond Books.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Jan 26

Sunday is for making enough spaghetti sauce to freeze into seven full meals with leftovers

From the bottom left corner to the top right corner: three spatulas, a wok on the stove with ground beef going through another reduction, a red kettle, a bowls for more spoons, and a slow cooker. Assorted unrelated kitchen detritus clutters the space behind.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Jan 25

It’s been a long week, here’s a picture of my dog

A small black dog with curly fur who thinks she should get people food and is mistaken

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Jan 25

Art of a brown moth among purple, pink and yellow flowers with “pissed off motherfucker” written around it.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 10

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 20: Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

A black shield blazoned with a white dragon, with a nimbus of spears and swords behind it. It sits in front of an ivory fresco of a woman pointing a group people to March onward while dragon flies overhead.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 9

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 19: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

A black crows wing with Leigh Bardugo and Six of Crows blazoned over it. Behind it is the impression of fog over a moon, and wispy towers creep into its feathers from the bottom of the image.

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 9

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 18: A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 7

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 17: The Witches by Stacy Schiff

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 6

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 16: Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 5

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 15: Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 3

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 14: Babel by RF Kuang

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 2

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 13: Dracula by Bram Stoker

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Nov 1

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 12: Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Oct 31

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 11: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Oct 30

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 10: Persuasion by Jane Austen

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Oct 29

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 9: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Oct 28

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 8: Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Oct 27

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 7: Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Oct 26

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 6: Exiles by Melanie Rawn

Brittany Vesterback@bvesterback· Oct 25

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 💙📚 #BookSky #BookChallenge #Books #dnd Day 5: Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan