Gord’s Comments (group member since Apr 06, 2017)

Gord’s comments from the Vampires, Weres and Fae! group.

For a short story/novella what is considered a short story/novella? Would a book clocking in at 192 pages count?

Time for that weekly update. I won't have any novels this week as I've had a lot on the go. I've got a couple on the go currently but I have not finished any this week. That means a whole lot of comics and manga for everyone.

Tista, Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐
So my opinion on this series really hasn't changed since the first book. It still has that debut vibe with a lot of everything going on. I feel that the second volume might have been a bit better then the first as it started to focus in on a single story line but this manga is far from an all time great. The second volume gave us the back story of Tista and what put her in this position and the conclusion to the story. Once again things were not really fleshed out and then it just kind of ended. I also feel that there were story elements that were just created in this second volume that was not previously established. It's a rough series for sure. That being said there is some potential here. A good idea buried under all the clutter if you will.

His Majesty the Demon King's Housekeeper Vol. 9 ⭐⭐⭐
This series has been far from amazing but it was a nice little dose of cute and cozy fantasy. I loved seeing the budding romance between the leads and it was just a chill little read. This volume though really soured things for me. I feel like the author let the curtain slip and his intentions were put on display. This is all about the blooming relationship between the two MC's. It has been teased throughout the series but I was fine the slower pace of progression. In this one it's like the leads took stupid pills. The female lead suddenly believes that all these feelings are caused by a weird food combination giving her food poisoning. The main male lead then tries to find a cure for this. Everyone else can tell that the two are falling in love but for a variety of reasons are keeping the leads in the dark about their feelings. Then just as things might get resolved (finally) there was a new story arc reveal meaning all of this is going to be tossed on the shelf for later. This book just felt so frustrating and it took me a lot longer then it should have to complete this volume. I just wasn't invested in it. I didn't want to keep reading all this stupid and the blatant delaying tactics. I'm not saying that the romance needs to happen now but this felt like a massive step backwards.

The Graveyard Club: Revenge Game ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ahhhh Mr. R.L. Stine, a bedrock for many horror enthusiast of various generations. Many of us got our introduction to horror through things like Goosebumps, Fear Street, and others. I always have an appreciation for the author for what he has done and there is a certain nostalgic vibe to reading his material. As an adult though, his stuff just doesn't land as hard as it used to. How to explain this. Reading his stuff feels safe, familiar, a visit to common ground. In this one the story is about a group of kids who grow up in a town surrounded by graveyards. Violent acts start happening to our core group of friends and of course the suspect is the town bully and the bully's father who is also a cop/bully as well. In the end it turns out to not be them it's massive spoiler for the ending (view spoiler)[ one of their own group (hide spoiler)]. This just feels like a story I've read many, many times before. There is nothing here that tries to put a twist on anything. There is no shocking reveal, just a safe journey down an already established path. The author knows the tropes, knows how to use them, but never strays from their established course. It was an alright comic but I'm not sure if I want to read on.

I Married My Female Friend Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My next reread in this series as I work my way towards the final book. I really don't have a lot to say about this one. It's just a cozy little story that makes you feel good.

Batman/Elmer Fudd ⭐⭐⭐⭐
You read the title correctly. This is indeed a crossover comic starring Elmer Fudd and Batman. Yes, I gave it four stars. I snagged this one originally out of sheer curiosity. How in the hell do you do a cross over comic starring these two characters? Well, the author found a way and it went harder then it had any right to. The story is told in Noir style with Fudd being the one to narrate the story. This of course means everything is narrated in the unique Fudd kind of way. That combo alone made it pretty awesome. Then we have all the guest appearances by other characters from Looney Tunes. Not in their various cartoon formats but in a human version. You recognize them from their iconic lines that are slipped into the story. It's a super short comic so I don't want to spoil anything but basically Fudd and Batman cross paths, duke it out, and then partner up. Honestly this is more of a Fudd comic guest starring Batman but that is getting lost in the weeds. This was just a super short, quick, and overall fun read.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I had being seeing some chatter about this comic and curiosity led me to picking it up. This was a very wise decision as this comic was an amazing read. It's set in a small town with the MC being a serial killer. They had one important rule, never kill in town. The town is to small and it would raise to much suspicion. So what happens when someone else violates that basic rule and commits a violent murder in town? This is essentially a murder mystery but instead of the MC seeking justice for crimes committed it's about an MC trying to essentially protect their way of life. It's a very well written comic with a surprising amount of gore in it.

Wash It All Away 01 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a brand new cozy slice of life series for me and to no ones surprise, I really liked it. This is set in a seaside town called Atami (real place by the way) and the MC is a young woman who runs a small laundry service business. She is the owner and sole employee. She accepts drop offs at her store and does do local pick ups/drop offs if you are close enough to the store. Basically the story is about her running her business and her clients. This was originally written as a small three chapter collection for a magazine. It got so much fan love that the collection was then serialized. In my opinion this is probably the reason why the MC has amnesia and can't remember anything from before two years ago. If it is, it's a clever use of the trope and allows the author to focus on the important bits for that original short stint. Now that it is serialized that amnesia angle can be expanded and explored, or at least I hope it is. We got a small hint to something at the end of this volume and there seems to be several volumes out in Japanese already. I'm here for this series and I'm interested to see where it goes.

Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, Vol. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This volume took a series that I really like and made it into a series that I just love. There was a couple moments that really stood out for me. First, was a scene where the older male MC lead didn't really react to his birthday. This led to a discussion about birthdays lose their importance over the years in general but also how this affects men. This felt like one of those moments where the thing you are reading gets a little to real and suddenly you are relating a little to hard to what is being talked about. The other big moment was just seeing their relationship change. This book started out with them as strangers who happened to bump into each other. This brief shared moment gave them some peace each day. They are far from friends but something more then strangers. In this volume that friendship is explored and I just loved how things are expanding between these two characters. I want to see more of them and I want to see where things go.

Now, what is next.
The Crawling Darkness my current audiobook
The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen I'm starting this once I am done posting my update
Secret Servants of the Crown: The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence I'm finishing this one this week

I have my normal grumbles about going to work in the morning but today those grumbles are extra strong. Today is inventory day which means a long day of counting things. What's really not helping with my general mood today is the overall feeling that this inventory is just going to be a rough one. Very little prep was done, there doesn't feel like there is anyone in charge, and just a general feeling of chaos.

Of course this happens just a couple months shy of of a full year since I fell off with my daily walks. Cosmic sign? Fate? Just my own laziness coming to collect its dues?

For right now I want to complete the tests, figure out what is wrong, then start making the changes I need. Things like a BP cuff, changing my diet, look at doing walks again, etc. As for my BP it was in the 170's, which I looked into was about as high as you go without needing to go to hospital. I'm really trying to take this all in stride but the more I think about all this the more... worried/freaked/concerned I am about everything.

I was really procrastinating on this one as I've been having brain fog for about three weeks now. At first it was just one little case of vertigo and some brain fog. While inconvenient I was still able to go about my life like normal. Over the weekend I had another case of vertigo and that is when I decided I should maybe go and see a doctor. I didn't think it would be anything serious honestly. I figured I would be told that I'm not getting enough sleep or I'm not eating right. I was not expecting anything this serious at all and it has me a bit shook. Not so much the high blood pressure. I mean, that's not good, but it's manageable. The whole mini stroke thing has a part of brain freaking the fuck out out.

I'm glad I stopped procrastinating today. Originally I was going to go after work today and when I found out that I couldn't I was just going to wait until the weekend. In a sudden spur of the moment decision I decided to take the afternoon off and just get this checked out.

Well this took an unexpected turn. It's not a peripheral style vertigo but more central. I apparently have high blood pressure and I'm now getting meds for that. I also have to get blood tests done and an ultrasound on my carotid arteries. That last one is because there is a concern I might be having or have been having mini strokes. FML

As bad as it is I did do a little Googling and this could be anything. It could be a whole lot of nothing and just me getting old. on the other hand it could be the symptom of something much worse and I'll die in 5 days

Nope, I don't check my BP. Honestly, unless I'm dying I avoid doctors and health places. Coming today is a little out of character

I hope it's something simple

Alright, time to do one of my least favorite things in the world, go to visit the doctor. In the last month I've had a couple bouts of vertigo and some brain fog. I don't think it's serious but to go from this not being an issue to happening a lot more frequently, well, I'm a bit concerned. Time to sit in the clinic for a couple hours to be told that either nothing is wrong or you're an idiot and it's *insert super obvious thing here*.

I started this one this morning.

My May savings were $578.24 bringing me up to $2,966.00

Time for that weekly update and it is a lot of of novels this week.

Tea You at the Altar ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have fallen in love with this series and this book gave me exactly what I wanted. More sweet romance between the MC's, more puns, more tea, and more adventures. This entire book takes place in the week leading up to the wedding of the MC's plus a secret event that I won't spoil. It's spoilers for the series so I don't want to give it away. This book brings in a whole lot of characters from the first two books for this big event and it felt great. The book ends on a cliffhanger that puts me in a weird spot. The next book is the last book in the series and I want to read it to see what happens next. I also don't want to read it because then that means that the adventure is over. I'm loving this series and I'm glad I gave it a try.

Once Upon a K-Prom ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I snagged this at the last minute because I needed it for a challenge I needed to complete in May. After completing this book I feel like I need to defend myself/explain myself a little bit. Especially after I DNF'd that other teen romance earlier this month. I really enjoyed this book, like, a lot. I'll be perfectly honest here, this book hit every trope that you would expect in this kind of book. The miscommunication trope, the third act misunderstanding, friends to lovers, all of it, and yes, I know, I grumble about these tropes, but it just worked here for me alright. I can't even really explain why either but I'm going to give it a crack. The teens in this one were a year or two older then the one I DNF'd and, yeah, there is a bit of melodramatics but it feels more appropriate. These are not out there concerns especially for someone of this age, and while basic, there was a decent explanation for why each of the MC's acted the way that they did. That and the romance just worked for me. I was invested in this. I wanted these two to succeed and I just had a good time reading this.

Berserk of Gluttony, Volume 2 ⭐⭐⭐
Finally getting around to this one. This book picks up the adventure pretty much right where the first one ended with our MC trying to get to Galia. This book felt like it had a lot less of the edgy feeling junk and more adventure in it. Honestly, looking back at things, this book was basically a giant training arc so that our MC could get into Galia. Each time he stopped somewhere there was some sort of lesson, some sort of spell, some sort of training he was working on. In this one he also spends a good chunk of time with Myne who briefly met in the first volume. We spend a fair bit of time traveling with her and as a result we get to know more about her. It's one of those classic things where the more we learn the more questions there are. Overall it was a alright read and I look forward to the next one.

Now for the manhwa
The Boxer, Vol. 10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I devoured this one just like most of the books in this series. This one has the conclusion to the heavyweight championship fight and the second time I shed a tear or two this week. It also gets into the next fight and the set up for the final book (I think it's the final book). We have this absolute legend come out of retirement to challenge our MC. We also get to see some of our MC's backstory finally and it's about what I expected. Not going to spoil any of that. I'm now waiting patiently for the next one so we get the full back story.

As for what is next, I don't know. I need to find another audiobook and I have a stack of manga for next week.

I'm sitting here in a smoky haze like I'm in a Cheech and Chong movie. Alright, not quite that bad but it is hazy and you can smell the smoke. Nothing burning near me currently but there are some big fires up north that are out of control. It seems like this is just the new normal for summers here.

This has been a bit of a busy week of reading but I have made a massive dent in my library pile and I'm nearly at a point where I want to start requesting books again.

Mission Manhattan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm finally done this audiobook. It wasn't that it was hard to get through it was just a time thing and being distracted by a ton of other things. As for the book, it was great. It was what I've come to expect from this series. Globe trotting adventures, spy action, personal growth, it's all here. This one starts in Venice at a climate change demonstration that goes sideways with a bomb. The Italians are looking at the wrong group of people and since the City Spies are already involved they start digging. This leads them to America and the big conclusion of the book. There were definitely a couple big stand out moments for me. Being as vague as possible the group ends up without either of the adult figures around and have to act on their own. A lot of the main action is usually the kids in the book but the adults are either in communication with them or involved with the mission somehow. Find them in a situation without any of that was a big moment and it was a good step for the series, I think at least. The other one was the continued drip feed of the overarching story line. I don't want to touch this one at all so I'm just going to say we have some more progress but as usual a ton of unanswered questions.

Secret Servants of the Crown: The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence
This book doesn't have a rating from me... yet. I ran out of time on this one and can't renew it either. I'm going to return the book today and then immediately request it again so I can finish it. I got a little over halfway into the book and it was interesting but a bit dry. This book covers, as the title says, the history of women in the British Intelligence services and not just the women that worked as spies either. This got into the unsung heroes like the secretaries, typists, the woman who ran the massive file rooms and helped find data on suspects. Woman who were sworn to secrecy and took those secrets to the grave with them. Women like Kathleen Pettigrew who served as secretary to three consecutive chiefs of the MI6 and was the inspiration for Ian Fleming's Miss Moneypenny. She served MI6 for four decades and was at the center of an empire of secrets. There was women who acted as spies both on English soil as well as abroad. Some of the stories this book covers is wild and that is why I really want to finish reading it.

Now for the manga and comics
I'm the Grim Reaper, Vol. 3 ⭐⭐⭐
I'm still rather lukewarm about this one honestly. There is a mystery there and I'm kind of invested in it enough to keep reading but it still has this feeling of trying real hard to be edgy. I doubt I could back to back these comics but this slow constant drip feed as these are released is an alright pace so I guess I'll be back for the next one.

Morgana and Oz, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another book published by Webtoon Unscrolled. I've got to say that there are more and more of these as of late and I'm not outright opposed to that. Some of these webcomics maybe don't work so well in a normal book format, looking at you slice of life daily bite sized comics, but for more story orientated ones like this, it works. This is a story about a clan of witches and their rivals a clan of vampires. Morgana is a young witch still trying to learn how to control her powers and Oz is a vampire who got changed into a cat by a rogue spell from Morgana. This first book was a great setup for things. We get a glimpse into both clans, we get some obvious mystery bait with things not all matching up properly, and we get to meet the two MC's. This was giving me some Romeo and Juliet vibes. No idea if it was intended but c'mon. The rival clans, two sworn enemies having to work together, it's not a perfect match but you catch my drift. Also, the art for this series is seriously awesome.

One Piece, Volume 7: The Crap-Geezer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
More One Piece, and in this one we get part of Sanji's back story. Not a whole lot to really say here except that it was a good read.

I Married My Female Friend Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
With the fourth and final volume finally released I figured I would do a quick reread of this series. I really enjoy this author and her more mature and yet chill slice of life yuri manga so rereading this was just fun. We get the setup for this unusual relationship and seeing how both partners are trying to adapt to a new life together. There is no over the top action, no crazy plot twists, nothing like that. We just get a relaxed story about two friends who promised to marry each other in five years if they were still single.

Mansect ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I feel this is going to be one of those manga that you are going to know immediately if you want to read it or not. The cover and the title really tell you all that you need to know about this book. Either this will be a hard pass for you or you are going to be like me and immediately jump on board. This manga is supposed to be a classic in the horror manga sphere and originally came out in 1975. Like I said, you get exactly what you would expect from a manga like this, especially if you have dabbled in either Ito or older horror manga. The art style is that older, darker, more realistic style the loves the occasional foray into body horro. The story isn't really one long story but more like a collection of short stories around a central theme with the barest of threads tying them together. As the title suggests, this is about a man who turns into something that is part man and part insect. Each following story is about more and more people evolving and gaining insect like qualities. Like I said, it's exactly what you would expect, and I loved every minute of this. It's like a cheesy old sci-fi/horror movie from the 50's/60's which I feel this book was heavily inspired by. I'm not going to bother recommending this one, you'll know if you want to read it or not.

Now, what is next.
Once Upon a K-Prom my next audiobook
Tea You at the Altar I finally get to read the next book in this series.
Berserk of Gluttony, Volume 2
The Boxer, Vol. 10

It was a book on the history of women in the British secret services. There was one part that I hit that was like a genealogical break down of the entire family. How this English family ended up in Russia, how they got rich in Russia, what each child in that family did in their life. It was just a barrage of names, dates, and places.

I'm both struggling with this nonfiction book but loving moments of it as well. This is definitely one of those nonfiction books that feels like an endless parade of names and dates. At the same time some of the stories you read in this thing are just wild.

Welcome back!

I was going to push this out to tomorrow but I might as well keep a schedule. This has not been the greatest week of reading for. I took a couple days off where it was just my audiobook in the morning. Then the first physical book I pick up I bounced off hard. On top of all of that I was just feeling kind of off all week. Enough complaining though, here is what I read.

I Love You S'more -DNF
You're not reading that wrong. I did indeed DNF a book. Let me be clear here, I'm not going to say that this book is bad, I will say that this book was just not for me. I snagged this from the library because it looked like one of the cute romances I enjoy. It opened up with a young woman going to work at a summer camp after a breakup with her famous superstar girlfriend. She needed some time to get away from everything to process her feelings. Cool, cool, I'm on board. Then we get introduced to "The Rival" because this is a rivals to lovers story line. Here is where the first stumble happened for me. This rivalry felt kind of ham fisted and petty but alright, it's a small stumble, lets get to the cute stuff. Then we have the record scratch, pardon me, revelation of the book. The MC is 15 years old. Up to this point I was thinking very late teens or early 20's. This revelation just put the whole book in a different light and I just can't take things seriously. Just to be clear, I'm not saying that the emotions that the MC is feeling are not valid but they suddenly feel much more melodramatic to me. I tried, I really tried, I pushed through a couple more pages but I got some more of the rivalry spat and I was just done. I tapped out at about the 50 page mark, I just couldn't do it.

A Cold Dose of Murder ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My yearly dosage of this cannabis themed cozy mystery. I just like this mystery series. Yes, the second book was a slight stumble but I feel that it hit its stride in this one again. There is a certain level of self awareness within the book about cozy mysteries and just mysteries in general. This one had references to Hercule Peroit, Murder She Wrote, and Miss Marple. I like the fact that the setting, while a small town, has a way to get bodies to appear without thinning out the local population at a concerning rate. This one is about the murder of a famous podcaster/food critic who is town for a local ice cream festival. Now the first part of book was a little slower. It was setting up everything and it was setting up the first suspect who was obviously a red herring. As the reader you knew that the first suspect wasn't the actual killer so it was sitting through all the attempts to frame them as guilty while looking for actual clues and hints. Once you got through that part and suddenly there was more clues and suspects things started to pick up. Overall, a fun, easy read and I'll be back next year for the next volume when it comes out.

Now for the manga/comics

Dandadan, Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I finally got the second volume of this series and the good times continue. The frantic energy, the weird humor, the awkward romance, it's all here. Now starts the long wait for the third volume.

Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord, Vol. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The latest installment in this little slice of life yuri romance. This one had some great progress with the two leads and with some of the side characters. After bouncing off of I Love You S'more this was exactly what I needed. Just some feel good and chill vibes.

Witchlight ⭐⭐⭐
This is one of those odd books that I enjoyed but it just did blow me away. This is a story about two women who end up traveling together after a misunderstanding. Along they way they discover themselves, they discover family, and a little romance. There was something just pure and sweet about the simplicity of this story that I can't really explain. I picked this up on a whim and I don't regret reading it but it's probably not one that will stick out in my mind in about a month.

What is next?

I'm still working on my City Spies audiobook and I have a stack of manga/comic that I need to complete this week.