Gord’s
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(group member since Apr 06, 2017)
Gord’s
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from the Vampires, Weres and Fae! group.
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I had no idea it happened until I saw it on here. What a horrible start to the year.
I haven't been keeping up to date on the monthly updates but I finished the year with a whopping $7,570.10 in savings. As I've said before, I really love my library card.
Wow, that is not a lot of time really. Any exciting plans?
Time for the most pointless day of work all year. Instead of getting in early like I normally am I'm aiming to get there for exactly 8. I'm grabbing a coffee and cookie from Starbucks, propping my feet up my desk, "working" for a couple hours, and then heading home.
Oh I'm going to be in trouble today. I took extra steps to make sure I was ready for today. I didn't take any naps in the afternoon/evening, I went to bed early, all of it. The problem is that I couldn't sleep because my sleep schedule kind of shifted. I was used to staying up late and then sleeping through the morning. It wasn't planned or anything, it just kind of happened. I'm sitting here are 1:30 in the morning not really tired and I have to leave for work in about 5.5 hours.
Alright, time for another update and an effort by me to get back to a normal schedule, kind of. Also, apologies in advance. This is going to be a bit long. I have been reading a lot and I have things to say. 
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear (Light Novel) Vol. 3 -4 StarsThis is my favorite cozy isekai series and my reread of this has just been fun.
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense., Vol. 4 -4 StarsThis series is another cozy fantasy kind of style. This one was focused around the first big guild versus guild PVP event and it was just a fun read. Getting to witness the worlds reaction to our main girl Maple and her broken build was just mint. We also get this incredible quote from the book.
A girl in black armor walked straight into their base, not even bothering to hide. The incarnation of broken. The symbol of death. The embodiment of madness. The one player who didn't need to defend herself. Maple.
Golden Gate -4 StarsI finally got the next book in this series and man this was such a fun read. The action was pretty much nonstop from beginning to end as we travel around doing over the top spy stuff. This is a great example of a fun popcorn book. You just open it up and let your brain be entertained by the shiny stuff happening.
The Westing Game -3 StarsI snagged this one to help with a challenge that I've been stalled on for a while now. Reading the synopsis for this book made me intrigued as it really sounded like something right up my alley. I don't know what happened but I pretty much bounced off this book right from the start. I just never got invested in anything. None of the characters were super great, the mystery just never grabbed me, and I was just struggling. By the end I was kind of starting to warm up to things a bit but by then it was way to late. The worst part about this whole thing, it didn't actually help me with the challenge I was stuck on.
Now for the manga/comics
Laid-Back Camp, Vol. 15 -4 StarsThis is just a fun and chill series to read. In this one we get more camping, shocking I know, and the focus of this one is long distance bike riding. Of course it's focused on how it works in Japan, again shocking, but it's still interesting to read. My one criticism of this series still stands though and that is the art work for the characters. There are a few characters that just kind of blur together, especially with the larger cast now. I still love this series and I can't wait for the next one.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 3—Stardust Crusaders, Vol. 10 -4 StarsWhooooooo! I finally finished Stardust Crusaders! This is going to be more of a commentary on the entire series instead of just this particular book. This series was an interesting entry into the franchise and the one that really changed everything with the introduction of stands. Hamon is still here but it's far from the main focus anymore. That being said the stands were kind of the main problem with this installment. These stands were so over the top that they kind of overshadowed everything else in the series. Every fight became this spectacle where the enemies stand had to be discovered. This did make for some absolutely incredible fights that were some of the most off the wall ones I think I've seen in a long while. The problem is that everything else kind of suffered. The plot was basically there to move us from spectacle fight to spectacle fight. The side characters were solid but I felt that the main JoJo, Jotaro Kujo, just kind of faded into the background. He wasn't a horrible character or anything but in a series full of over the top characters his more stoic character got overshadowed pretty fast. Overall this was a great series and a blast to read. I can't wait to start the next series which is Diamond is Unbreakable.
The Boxer, Vol. 8 -5 StarsThis is what happens when an author goes insane and loses their mind while writing the next volume. The last couple volumes have dealt with a pair of dastardly opponents and the story got rather serious and bleak. Now there was a little bit of that in this one but that quickly got shoved aside when this took a hard left into straight up comedy. The red haired gent on the cover is our next opponent and he is a bit of an odd one. He is training for the fight and he wants to spar with the toughest opponents possible. He starts out sparring things like bears and other wild animals but they don't give him much challenge. He wants to fight a dinosaur but they are extinct because of mother nature which means that nature is the stronger opponent. We then getting a montage of him running around the world fighting mountains, tornadoes, tsunamis, lightening, etc. He visits a priest and gets his fists blessed so they have holy power as well. Now this is all kind of spoilers but this is all when the book still has at least a toe or two left in the realm of sanity. Things only get crazier from there and I can't even begin to describe what I witnessed. The last half of this book was just wild and a very welcome break after the last couple books.
The Apothecary Diaries Manga, Vol. 12 -5 StarsStupid sexy frogs. No, I'm not going elaborate on that statement in the slightest. If you have read this volume then you know. If you haven't then you will just have to wait to get here and find out what I'm talking about. This was another great volume but that last half was mint.
Wynonna Earp: Strange Inheritance -3 StarsI remember seeing a couple episodes of the TV show when it first came out several years ago and kind of liking it. It had that spooky weird western vibes to it. I've been curious about checking out the source material but never got around to it until now. This book was a collection of all the material that was out there before the TV show. Lets just say that this was definitely a product of it's time. There was a short that was probably a "pilot" kind of story for the series. Then we get three story arcs from the late 90's and this was pure 90's schlock. The main female character was hypersexualized with huge breast and just enough clothing to not get the comic rated as mature. Don't worry that clothing will always get ripped. As for the men, anyone who was not a background character was basically a walking mountain of muscles and a silhouette that looked more like a square then a human. If you have ever read any late 90's comics you will know what I am talking about. The series went on a hiatus for a while and then came back in the 2011's for a couple more stories. The muscles and breast got toned down while the clothing became more practical. Overall this is that cheesy kind of story that appeals to a certain corner of my brain. Basically there is a secret branch of the US Marshall's that deal with supernatural threats. The main agent is a descendant of Wyatt Earp which brings with it all sorts of vague, unspecified, supernatural abilities. Overall this was a cheesy read that was really showing its age. I'm curious to check out the comics that have come out since the TV show and are more in line with the show itself.
Don't Call it Mystery (Omnibus) Vol. 9-10 -5 StarsSame opinion as before, great story telling but not so great art. The second story in this volume was incredible. It was a kidnapping that had that big ticking clock element to create that sense of urgency. This all lead to a conclusion full of so many twists and turns that my head was spinning by the end. We also had more story reveals for the larger overall story arc as well which I'm still trying to figure out.
Spy x Family, Vol. 12 -4 StarsI am now caught up with this series and waiting for the next one to get published. Another solid entry into the series with some real peak Anya smugness in this one.
As for what is next:
The Elfstones of ShannaraThis is my next audiobook and one that I need to get done this week. Outside of that I have a nice fresh stack of things from the library for me to work on.
I have to crawl out of my cave and be a normal functioning adult tomorrow by going to work. I'm not sure I can remember how, to be honest. In the last two weeks I've my place twice and that is the only time I've actually spoken to other people. Hopefully work is nice and quiet and I can just read my books at work and then go home.
As mentioned before I've been doing some reading on my vacation and I suddenly find myself in a weird position. First, I don't have a physical stack of books anymore. Well, I do, but it's all stuff going back to the library and I'll be getting more stuff here in a couple days but still, it's a weird feeling. It's not like I'm out of books either, I have access to Libby and Hoopla to tide me over for the next couple days. Second, this break has allowed me to put a bit of dent in my reading and I find myself in this weird position where I'm either done with a series or I'm caught up and waiting for more stuff to be published. Again, it's an odd feeling as most of these are things I've been working on all year. Combine this with the whole running out of physical books and I've had a couple moments of existential dread. The whole "I have nothing to read" and "what will I read next" kind of thoughts. Anyway, I'm off to scrounge up something else to read.
I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm just enjoying some light reading on my time off. Joking aside, I've been reading a lot in the last couple weeks and have completely annihilated my physical reading pile from the library.
This is going to sound a bit silly but here is my logic.When working on a longer challenge it will create a longer post. When I need to update the post I have to scroll down to the bottom to find the edit button. Once you click that edit button it collapses the post to the edit screen which means scrolling back up to find it again. This challenge isn't so bad but I've worked on some where my posts are really long and hiding things behind a spoiler wall just makes it a little easier to work on.
Nope, some of us do that so that it is a bit easier to edit our post. Or at least that is my reasoning why.
Dear library: You guys got any more books for me? Just asking... not because I'm running low again or anything.
January - A book you meant to read last year The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Vol. 3: The Finest HourFebruary - Romance (may be a subplot) The Pumpkin Spice Café
March - Character's name in the title Red Sonja: Consumed
April - A book that's been adapted to the screen One Piece, Volume 6: The Oath
May - Short story or novella The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen
June - Number in the title Patient Zero
July - Ugly/stupid cover
August - New-to-you author The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful: Curious and Incredible Facts that Will Blow Your Mind
September - Banned book Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
October - Scary/horror book Long Live the Pumpkin Queen
November - Stand-alone book
December - Holiday story
All my challenge plans this year went off the tracks, horribly, and kind of exploded in ball of flames. I'm re-accessing things for 2025 and hoping to come back a lot more organized.
I don't think they are actually Leprechauns but the result of Nazi experiments. Regardless, the book is The Little People
My initial gut reaction was that it was TTS but I'm now starting to lean more towards it being AI. I've heard TTS for some stuff, I know a streamer that uses TTS, and it has a robotic kind of feel to it. This felt like a real person when I started listening to it initially. It wasn't until later when I started noticing more and more issues that I began to wonder if there was something going on. Initially I thought all the weirdness was just weird audio quality. We've all had weird things when listening to audiobooks.
Time for another update on my vacation reading.
Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop -3 StarsThis was one of those random snags from the library. It was an interesting sounding cozy mystery and I figured I'd give it a try. After reading this book I can definitely say it was a cozy mystery. There was nothing wrong with this one but there wasn't really anything here to elevate it out of being just another cozy mystery. Small town location, MC works in a job that has nothing to do with mysteries, sudden dead body, etc, etc, etc. It also had one of those issues that I struggle with when it comes to cozy mysteries which is trying to figure out why the MC is inserting themselves into a murder investigation. I can understand that they are the ones that found the bodies and they had an argument with the victim which makes them a suspect but there just isn't a solid reason to get involved. It's just one those weird things I struggle with when reading cozies. Also, I realized that this MC probably has one of the busiest schedules I've ever read. She runs a independent book store, participates in several community groups, organizes local events, exercises regularly, and still has an active social life. Just how? How do you have all that time?
The Maid and the Mansion -2 StarsI snagged this one to help with another December challenge and much like Murder on The Christmas Express this was also a massive dud for me. It's a historical cozy mystery involving a young woman who was working in a factory during WWII. After the war ends she finds herself out of work and ends up taking a maid position. Of course someone ends up dead, she is blamed, inserts herself into the investigation, blah, blah, blah. The synopsis really intrigued me and I was picturing this character who was this Rosie the Riveter tougher kind of character and I just never really got that. We got reminded constantly that she was tough from working in the factory but we never really got to see it outside of one time. This book was just boring and I felt that nothing really happened. The "investigation" was basically our MC going up to a person and asking them if they did it. I just did not click with this one.
I also want to address one other thing that is related to the book but not the contents of the novel. I was originally listening to this as an audiobook but I only got about halfway through before having to switch over to an ebook. There was a few issues I was having with the audiobook version. First, and by far the worst, there was constant weird noise through out the book. Between sentences you would get partial words filtering through. Sometimes it sounded like words, sometimes it would sound like a quacking duck, sometimes it was just random noise. It was really starting to grate on me the more I was listening to the book. Another issue I had was just the narration. It just felt kind of soulless. I don't know how to explain this one properly but there moments where you would expect a certain emotional emphasis and it just wasn't there. I was also noticing words were getting mispronounced. This lead me to check the Hoopla page and that is when I discovered that there wasn't a narrator for this book. The author had used a "synthesized voice" to narrate the book. Whether that means that it's AI or TTS I'm not sure but I did not like the final product. It just felt off for me. It wasn't something I was checking for before but going forward I will be checking to see if the book uses a synthesized voice for the narrator.
Now for the manga and comics
Spy x Family, Vol. 11 -4 StarsMore fun from this series. Not a whole to really say about it.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 15 -3 Stars This was a series that kind of fell off my radar as I waited for the library to bring in the latest edition. It wasn't until volume 16 showed up on the "on order" shelf that I remembered it. This book wasn't bad and I like the slower, cozier vibes that this has but I was hoping for something more from this. There are hints of future story points but for right now it's just about setting up this mutant zone in NYC and who is doing what.
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Vol. 1 -4 StarsI finally got around to getting the sequel to the original Cardcaptor started. This book picks up where the first series ends. Sakura and Syaoran are reunited and they are now attending middle school. Her magical adventures have been quiet and Sakura hasn't had to use the cards since the conclusion of the first series. One night she starts dreaming about the cards and she wakes up the next day the cards are not only blank they are clear. She can't access any of their powers and no one knows why. This is the start of the adventure in this new series and it felt good to start this. This is all new content for me and it felt like I was reading the original series. The artwork looks pretty much the same, the characters are all there, it just felt good and I can't wait for me.
I'm the Grim Reaper, Vol. 2 -3 StarsNot a lot to really say about this one that I didn't already say about the first one. We get a bit more lore and a bit more story but not a whole lot. I'm more or less just reading this to see the big reveal to the mysterious past. It's entertaining but not mind blowing.
His Majesty the Demon King's Housekeeper Vol. 8 -3 StarsAnother series I don't have a whole lot to say about. This one here gets into the Demon Kings backstory, kind of, more how he became the king then his actual story. Again, it's another entertaining series that I having fun reading but it's nothing mind blowing either.
Hirayasumi, Vol. 3 -4 StarsThis was just more slice of life manga. We get to see more of the expanding roster of characters and what is happening in their life.
Off Menu: A Graphic Novel -4 StarsThis is a great example of a simple story that just does it well. Young and upcoming chef discovers that her boss is toxic and basically just a jerk to the entire community. She challenges him to a cooking duel for the restaurant. Along the way she solidifies her love of cooking while exposing how crooked her boss is to everyone. It's just a simple and wholesome story that just works.
Trigun Maximum Omnibus, Volume 1 -5 starsThis picks up two years after the end of the original series. Vash has disappeared after the events at the end of the previous series and no one knows where he went. Wolfwood tracks him down, Knives and the Gung Ho Guns start making moves, and Vash is forced out of hiding starting up this dangerous game once again. This was just a fun read and I am really glad to finally get into this series. Now there is one other thing I want to talk about that is not so much about the contents of the book. I got my book from the library and it's a well read copy. I was flipping through the pages before I started just to get a feel for what I was getting into when I noticed someone had left little notes in the book. Notes commenting on the art, the characters, the characters looks, etc. Now, normally, I would be very annoyed if someone was doodling inside a book from the library but this reader did something special. All these notes are little sticky notes sprinkled throughout the manga. It was this amazing experience reading through this book and seeing this strangers notes about we were both seeing. By the end I kind of felt this weird bond with total stranger. There are four more omnibus editions in this series and they are all older books. I'm really hoping that I get to find more of these little notes in future books. Just for the record, I left all the notes in the book. Hopefully someone else finds them and joins us on this little journey.
Now, what is next. I have been reading up a storm on my vacation and I've kind of blown through all my per-vacation stacks of books from the library. Fear not, I am not out of books yet. I went to the library over the weekend and got a resupply which should last me for maybe another week or so.
I'm listening to an audiobook and there have been issues. Just weird skips in the voice that sounded like either a duck or a weird second track trying to come through. I was also noticing that the voice just kind of sounded soulless, like something was missing. What really messed with me was how the word "giant" was pronounced. It was just so weird and out of place. I got looking at the Hoopla page for it and they are using a synthesized voice and not a real narrator. I'm wondering if this is what is calling all the issues?
I've always joked that Librarians either hate my account or love it. For the most part it is a lot of fairly normal stuff, then there are times were I start looking for weird books. Like the time I was looking for a book about Nazi leprechauns. Yes, that was a thing, no, they couldn't find it any library catalogue.
