Could You Repeat That? CXXXIV

A History of Religion in 5½ Objects, S. Brent Plate
People who practice religion do not necessarily know about the history of doctrinal elements of that religion, but they know how to do that religion. Religious people are not believers so much as technologists.

Shield of Winter, Nalini Singh
The world went to hell at eleven the next morning.

Civil War (graphic novel), Mark Millar & Steve McNiven
SPIDER-MAN: ...I've gotta say I'm psyched being back in my old costume.
CAGE:: It gives me a good feeling too, man. Like things are finally getting back to normal. Know what I'm saying?
THE PUNISHER: Jeez. You two wanna get a room?
SPIDER-MAN: Ooh! What's up, honey. You jealous?

Archer's Goon, Diana Wynne Jones
"You don't give hired assassins supper, do you?"
Quentin smiled. "No, but when a wolf follows your sleigh, you give it meat," he said.

The Winter Long, Seanan McGuire
There's an art to staring someone down. It takes practice to find the right combination of bravado and unconcern, that line where "screw you" becomes "whatever." Once you find it, though, you can stay there forever.

How College Works, Daniel F. Chambliss & Christopher G. Takacs
Strategic planning too often ignores the actual, real people who must do the acting....No steel girder got bored and walked away, or had its own agenda, or simply stopped attending meetings. People, though, do exactly that; people are famously recalcitrant materials.

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn
(How do you know you're not Cool Girl? Because he says things like: "I like strong women." If he says that to you, he will at some point fuck someone else. Because "I like strong women" is code for "I hate strong women.")

The Islands of Chaldea, Diana Wynne Jones & Ursula Jones
Even without the bull's power, Walda was a wizard to reckon with. I spoke Rees's quenching spell, and the burning went out in a stinging steam. My anger doubled.

Superman: Red Son (graphic novel), Mark Millar, Dave Johnson, & Kilian Plunkett
LOIS: Are you telling me that our marriage is over because Superman beat your monster in a fight?

Tiny Beautiful Things, Cheryl Strayed
Would it ring? It would not ring.
Should you call? You should not call.
But you always called. You couldn't help but call because your heart was crushed and you thought maybe if you talked it out one more time the person who crushed your heart would change his/her mind and uncrush it.

The Magicians, Lev Grossman
Like Fillory, like everything good, it never lasted. What a terrible thing to know.
I got my heart's desire, he thought, and there my troubles began.