Gord’s Comments (group member since Sep 03, 2018)

Gord’s comments from the Readers Unbound group.

Time for that weekly wrap up and I've been on a manga and comic tear this week so I have a few entries. Now some of these entries are going to be super short and sweet and for some I'll have a few things to say. Now that the warnings are done lets get started with this.

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon -3 Stars
I was getting ready to type this weeks summary up and I was mentally reviewing what I read this week. I completely forgot that I had finished this book on Monday. I think that says a lot about my thoughts on this novel. I picked this up expecting a cute and fun little romance and there are moments where that peaks through but overall this was just a cliche laden slog to get through. As the tin advertises our clumsy witch accidentally summons a demon up, to cover up this demon she claims that the demon is her boyfriend, they pretend they're dating until *shock* they actually develop feelings for each other. This book was essentially everything I hate about romance novels. The FMC who doesn't know her own worth, the cruel parents, the third act misunderstanding, the MMC who is more eye candy than an actual character, the oh so perfect sex the first time they fall into bed with the MMC packing the biggest package ever. It's just so painfully cliche and boring. I swear when the characters are talking about the MMC the author just tapped into the MMC vault and pulled up the most standard lines ever that you see in every novel where the man is just there to look good. I swear I start reading these lines and it's the exact same line I've read in books just like this. The MMC some how puts Adonis to shame and us mere normal men are nothing but garbage in the premise of this chiseled god. Sorry to rant but man do I hate this trope. It can be done well if there is actual characteristics given to the character but more often then not the character is just there to be lusted over.

Alright back to this book, put away the annoyance. Like I mentioned there are moments where this book is kind of interesting. I liked the two friends who support the main character, I like the main characters natural magic abilities with all things plant related, I like the idea of Glimmerfalls as a town, there were some interesting ideas in regards to demons as a whole. A lot of this is just lost though in the books need to hit the standard beats that are expected of it. Oh and then there is the random commentary from the author about American problems. Out of the blue you would get some random comment about the American healthcare system, the legal system, the education system, etc. These comments would just appear out of the blue, make their statement, and then everyone would move on without addressing the issue. It was just weird and kind of annoying. Looking back at my comments here I kind of wonder why I even gave this a three star rating?

The Book of Candlelight -4 Stars
This series is really growing on me and an example of what a cozy mystery can achieve. This book started out feeling pretty cliche cozy mystery. We are introduced to an established member of the community who we have conveniently never seen before this book who then dies a few pages later. Like I said, pretty typical cozy mystery fare. The lead is anything but law enforcement but finds herself involved in the case, it's set in a small town with a fairly transient population (aka tourism), etc. There was a moment in this book though where it suddenly took off the cozy gloves and entered a more mature territory. Not far enough to feel dark and gritty like a mystery or a thriller but suddenly we are not in the usual comfortable cozy surroundings. The book then has several separate story lines that you know will inevitably be all tied together but you're not 100% certain how yet. Oddly enough the one area where I think the book kind of stumbled was in the romance department. It wasn't bad, it didn't do anything horrible, it just felt kind of there. It didn't really add to anything and if it wasn't there I wouldn't really miss it either. Regardless this book was a good read and I'm genuinely surprised with this it.

Now for all the manga and comics, sorry in advance.

Earthdivers, Vol. 1: Kill Columbus -3 Stars
I write these based off how my reading challenge is listed and it looks like we are going to start with the controversial one. The book is set in the year 2112 and the world is destroyed due to environmental turmoil. Those with the cash have left the planet leaving everyone else behind. The four MC's, Native American, come up with this idea to stop this by sending one of them back in time to kill Christopher Columbus before he ever arrives in America undoing all the horribly things he did and preventing the world from ending. I'm just going to tackle the elephant in the room and get this out of the way. This is an interesting idea for a story, Columbus deserves a lot of the criticism as he did a lot of really messed up things, but this feels like a very black and white view on something not so black and white. There feels like some genuine rage here and, again, it's warranted but it feels like taking a baseball bat to something that needs a feathers touch. It ignores the fact that Columbus was not the first person in America and not the first white person. The Vikings were here some 400 years before Columbus ever stumbled across this continent. The discovery of North America was going to be inevitable at some point. Like I mentioned above, the Vikings already knew of it. Expansion from either Europe or Asia were going to be inevitable. Would it have been as bad as Columbus or what followed? Who knows. That gets heavily into the realm of "what ifs" but lets be honest here history is not exactly kind. It could maybe be better or it could be a whole lot worse. The history part aside lets get into my other thoughts. This book was this weird blend of science, magic, and hallucinations (?). The book is split in to two story lines. There is part of it following the one MC who was sent into the past to stop Columbus. This was the best part of the story in my opinion. It was interesting to see this scholarly character descend into madness as his mission gets more and more desperate. Then there is the part in the future and that was odd. This is where it really gets into the timey wimey stuff and the story gets kind of confusing and convoluted. There are a lot of characters all with their own motivation and goals and it gets kind of confusing after a bit. I'm not sure if I want to read the next one or not as it isn't out yet but I might.

Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 26 -3 Stars
I don't even remember requesting this book. I just got a notification that it was ready to pick up one day. It has been a while since I read the last one and I think that it kind of helped with this one. I found myself grinning at points and enjoying the romance between Komi and Tadano when it decide to pop up. That being said my usual issues are still there. That one creepy character that just won't go away and has to be in every volume. The stupidly large roster of characters. Outside of a few core characters I barely remember any of these people. They show up, they play of their gag, and then disappear until the story calls for them again. I'm not sure if I ordered the next one but I'm sure it will show up at some point.

Stories of the Islands -4 stars
This book is a feminist retelling of three Indonesian folk tales with more of an emphasis on the women in these tales. This was just a treat to read for me. The simple art style, the stories, it all just worked for me. The icing on the cake, and I wish more retellings did this, the author provided the original folktales at the back of the book. That way you can see the original and see the authors inspiration for what they created.

SAKAMOTO DAYS 8 -4 Stars
Another manga that I have been waiting forever to get from the library and I forgot just how fun this series is. The over the top characters, the over the top abilities, it's all just so much fun. There is a crazy strong character in this volume with a pump action shotgun axe. Yes, a shotgun with a battle axe blade on the barrel. This is the kind of stupidity that I love.

The Great Cleric (Manga) Vol. 4 -4 Stars
This is another fun popcorn fantasy manga read. This one takes up with our MC starting his new job at the head church where is now the exorcists purging the labyrinth of the undead. Not a lot to really say here. Just a fun popcorn read.

Laid-Back Camp, Vol. 14 (Volume 14) -5 Stars
What can I say about this series that I haven't said before. This is just a personal favorite that I love and this volume gave me more fun and chill vibes.

Now for what is next.

Network Effect
My volume finally came in and I'm ready for some more Murderbot.

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash (Light Novel) Vol. 2
I'm about halfway through this novel and it's a lot better than the first so far. To the point where I want to get the next volume but no library has it. I could request it but I have a feeling that it would takes months to get and I kind of want it now. Do I buy or do I wait?

If the author is big enough then the publishing company is totally banking on the author's name selling the book more than the title. Look at J.D. Robb and the In Death series. Robb's name is easily 50% of the cover.

Well this was a bit of a better week of reading and for life in general.

Clown in a Cornfield -4 Stars
I know many who will hard pass this book just because of a killer clown or two and that's fair. Personally I love this book and it's campy horror vibe. It's a bit slow in the beginning as it sets things up but once the bodies start dropping the pace really picks up. I think the beauty of this book for me is the blending of real world and the horrifying. There are a lot of things that are said in this book that I've heard in real life. A lot of beliefs that I can easily say we've all seen in real life. "Everything wrong in this world is because of those kids and their phones." That kind of stuff. Honestly their is a part of me that wouldn't be surprised if I were to wake up one morning and see something like this on the news. The book really dances that line between completely fantastical and something based in the real world. The killer has no supernatural powers, it isn't some mythical monster, it's something much, much worse. This is just a fun popcorn read with some elements here and there that make you ponder a bit. I can't wait to get to the second one next month and the third one later this year when it finally releases. Yes, there is more then one book in this series.

Ink Girls -4 Stars
This a pretty new book that just came out at the end of November last year and I can see it potentially gaining some traction. It's set in a medieval Italian inspired port city and is about combating corruption with the press. Our MC is an apprentice printer who finds herself on the run after her and her master are arrested for printing articles about the corruption in the local government. She has only a few days to prove her masters innocence and through the help of friends, new and old, she discovers more about the city that she lives in then she ever knew. This book leans towards the younger side of the YA spectrum so a lot of things are solved with the power of friendship, girl power, etc but it has a solid message at it's core. It also means that is has more of a immediate and feel good resolution then would probably be realistic but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The art is great, the characters are interesting, the message is great. If you have a younger reader then maybe take a look at this book.

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Deluxe Edition, Vol. 3 -4 Stars
Maybe I was just in the right mood or something but this book just hit differently this time. Reading this series has been a bit odd as I've been reading these as my library gets them months after they come out. Not going to get into that here. As a result my memory of what happened in the last volume is a little fuzzy and I have to spend a few minutes trying to remember who is who again. Especially as there a lot of side characters at this point and not really a connecting overarching story. It's very much a slice of life story about an event happening here and now. That being said there were stories that just oozed emotions. The feeling of loss, loneliness, growing old, nostalgia, the joy of something new, the joy of meeting someone like yourself, the joy of returning home after a long time away. There are some chapters I'm not even sure what I am feeling but there is just this sense of something. This book was an interesting and emotional read that really reminds me of what something like manga can convey with very few words and some great art.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 3—Stardust Crusaders, Vol. 1 -4
And on the other end of the spectrum from the thought provoking and emotional manga mentioned above we have this manga. Action, body horror, humor, the usual JoJo package. This is the start of a new story arc set some 50ish years after Battle Tendency and the introduction of Stands to the series. It really feels like the action is a lot more fast paced in this one and the ticking clock element is only going to add to that. The series main villain, Dio, is back in full force in this one as well. I think about the only thing I'm not really fully on board with is the MC, Jotaro Kujo. I like his design but not his personality so much. Maybe it will be one of things that will grow on me over time but for right now it's just a bit to abrasive.

Dark Gathering, Vol. 1 -4 Stars
I originally read some of this series as fan translations so I was stoked when I found my library bringing in the official translated versions. This series is a blend of two opposite things that just works for me. On one side you have stuff that would be considered very cute. On the other side you have some pretty gory and extreme horror. For what ever reason, matching these two opposite elements gives you something that I just find fun to read. Something about the cute just making those hard turns into horror hit even harder then they should. Combine that with an amazing design for the cover character and I'm just having fun with this one. I'm stoked to see where this series goes and to get to some new material.

As for what is next...

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
This is my current audiobook and I have some mixed feelings about things. I started this one expecting a cute and fun romance and there are elements of that here and there but it's just buried under a lot of annoying cliches and tropes. For instance, the nonstop, constant reminders about how hot the MMC is growing rather old. I'm only 36% of the way into the book and I am done hearing the term "demon d*ck" and I know it's only going to get worse as things get spicier. That and the cliche where the MMC has to be this perfectly sculpted, peak of male hotness. It just gets so boring to read this because you see the same descriptors and what not in nearly every book that has to have this perfectly sexy male character. Outside of that there isn't a lot that is really standing out in the novel for me. It's not horrible but it's not rocking my world either.

Outside of my audio I have several more comics to get through this week. Expect that trend to last for a few more weeks. My library got a whole bunch in lately and they have been filling my various holds all at once.

Time for that weekly update and there is not a lot to really talk about this week. Life has been a weird one this week. It was my first week back to work after a month off. It was a six day week due to an inventory count. It was bone chilling cold here (-pushing -50c/-58f at times) which made walking something that got shelved until warmer times. I was also dealing with some left over dregs of my week long flu experience that ended up messing with my sleep schedule. Long story short, there was a lot of things going on this week and reading just wasn't top of that list.

Criminal -5 Stars
Karin Slaughter is not an author I can casually pick up and have a fun, easy read. That being said when I am prepared and in the mood her books are an amazing read and this book is a great example of that. As I mentioned above I had a lot going on this week and it kind of felt like a barrier between me and this book. If I was left to my own devices I could see myself just getting lost in this story. This book has three different story lines on the go. There is the victims POV in 1974, Amanda's story in 1975, and Will's story in present day. More than anything this book was Amanda's story. It goes back to when she was just a new police officer. She has never had her own case, she is dealing with the rampant misogyny of the time, and she is trying to figure out herself. This was long before Amanda was the scary boss dragon of the GIB that nobody wants to mess with. This story shows how she became that person, the groundwork for the incredible network of contacts that she has, and it really gives her character a human side to all the hardness we see in her present self. We also see how her story and Will's story are connected and what he means to her. While there was a mystery in this one and it was the "central" story this felt more like a character piece. Just an amazing read that kept pulling me along in week full of distractions. I am curious how, if at all, this will change things going forward though. Will this be something that is just swept under the rug, I hope not, or will this change the relationship between Amanda and Will.

On a side note semi linked to this I was curious about the TV show based on this series and after seeing a few clips I am going to have to say no. Some of the clips I saw were tied to the story line I had just read and I really don't like the changes I was seeing. It changed Amanda's character and I'm not vibing with it.

Untethered Sky -3
I snagged this book up because it looked interesting and the title started with the letter U which I need for a few challenges. After reading it I can confirm that it does have an interesting idea in it but the book does absolutely nothing with it. The book has a fantasy/Mediterranean setting centered around Rocs. People called ruhkers train and raise these giant birds to hunt down wild creatures like lions and jackals as well as mythical creatures like the dreaded manticore. From that alone you can see how I would think that it's an interesting premise to it. It's such a shame that nothing comes from it. This feels like an author making a pitch for a book. Maybe spitballing a few different ideas to apply to this premise. There are elements of this book that feels like it could lean into a slice of novel exploring the day to day challenges faced by a ruhker. There are elements that feel like it could go down a more YA fantasy route, or Romantasy I think it it is, with a sexy prince and a female love rival. There are elements of this book that could be made into so much more but, again, it does nothing with them. Then the book ends with what feels like an attempt to twist an emotional response out of the reader but it doesn't feel like it earns it. I found the book entertaining enough, I think a lot could be done with this idea, but I'm not sure I could recommend this book to any one. There just isn't anything there to really recommend to anyone.

As for what is next. Well it will be another weird week. The bone chilling cold continues cancelling my walks for at least the first couple days this week. That being said I have library due dates to meet so books must be read.

Clown in a Cornfield
This is part of a buddy read where we are reading the entire series of this campy series. We are reading the first two books now and then the third when it comes out later this year. I'm about 50% of the way into this one and it is just fun.

For stuff that is not audiobooks I have an ever growing stack of comics and manga to get through. This week I have some more JoJo, a comic called Ink Girls, and the next omnibus of Yokohama Kaidashi. Lots to read as always.

Time for that first update of the year. Not a super amazing update as I was still sick most of the week. It kind of worked out though as I had a backlog of audiobooks to work through and little mental capacity for actual reading. There was a lot of audiobook while playing Power Wash Simulator this week. Don't judge.

Bookshops & Bonedust -5 Stars
Man I was looking forward to this book so much and as you can tell by my rating it delivered for me. As much as I love and appreciate things like Lord of the Rings or other high fantasy with their epic and sweeping worlds there is just something fun about low stakes fantasy like this. I'm so glad the the original book blew up like it did and we are starting to see more and more of these cozy type fantasies. This book here is a prequel going all the way back to the start of Viv's career as an Adventurer. She gets injured and has to sit out the campaign in this small town called Murk. While there she discovers summer love and a love for reading. This book was just so much fun and seeing a more headstrong Viv was so much fun. The side characters in this book were also amazing and I don't know about anyone else but I wanted to crawl inside this book and go exploring. The other thing I want to heap some praise on is the narrator who is also the author. He has a great voice and it just elevates the book in my opinion.

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash (Light Novel) Vol. 1 -3 Stars
Speaking of cozy fantasies here is another chill, slice of life, fantasy series. It's another isekai but the isekai elements were pretty light in my opinion. We never got to see their life in our world and their past experiences don't seem to have much impact on this world. Basically our MC goes through the ceremony where they discover what their blessing in this world will be. Turns out they don't have much in the way of skills and is shunned by basically everyone in their village. When the chief and their father plans to off the MC they escape and start living on their own. They survive by living off the land and off of garbage found in dumps outside of villages. There is not a whole lot in this book that is ground breaking or revolutionary but it is entertaining. There is enough here that I requested the second book and we will see where it goes.

The Hobbit -5 Stars
This was the other audiobook that I listened to this book and I was listening to the Rob Inglis version. This is not my first time reading this book but it is my first time listening to the audiobook. Rob Inglis had a great voice that just added so much to the experience. There was just this... richness to his voice that just made this book so comforting. I love the feeling of adventure that this book has and the narration just added to the fun of this book. This book will always be a favorite of mine and I am now curious about the Rob Inglis version of the Lord of the Rings. I've requested the first one and is usual with so many things right now with the library I'll see it in about 5-6 months.

Love in Winter Wonderland -DNF
My first DNF of the the year. I snagged this for a group read and I had no expectations heading into this. I figured it might be a cute YA romance that I sometime like. I read about 30-35 pages and just tossed it. I just couldn't stand the male lead and after reading some comments and some reviews there is no redemption for him and I just didn't feel like struggling through this.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 13 -4 Stars
This marks the end of Kevin Eastman's involvement with the IDW Turtles and this does feel like an end to a story line. I'm not the biggest fan of how it was handled but I can appreciate it. I felt that this was a story line that should have been dealt with sooner as one of the players just kind of vanished from the series when the authors focused on other things. The character then suddenly drops back into the story to have this story line and it just kind of feels a little odd. There was also a section towards the end of this story line that looked really pretty but felt like a whole lot of philosophical rambling that went on for way to long. Overall it was interesting and I wonder where the next author will take things.

Up next I've got a few things on the go.

Untethered Sky
Clown in a Cornfield
These are the two audiobooks I have on the docket for this week. I'll be starting with Untethered Sky before moving over to some killer clowns.

Criminal
I have to get this novel done soon so I can get it back to the library before it expires. It's Karin Slaughter so it's some nice, light, feel good reading...

Time for another update and apologies in advance for the length. I was going to update earlier but then I got sick and all my plans went out the window.

Fish for Dinner: Tales of Newfoundland and Labrador -3 Stars
I snagged this to fill a particularly challenging task and out of curiosity. Growing up I enjoyed books like this and just learning about various folk tales. As an adult though I just found this book to be alright. If you have ever read any books like this you know what you are going to get. The morale's that they teach, the cautionary tales passed on, it's all pretty much the same just with different characters and settings. It was interesting to see the tales being pulled from various groups and not just the usual European ones. Interesting little Canadian book about some Canadian history.

The Twisted Ones -3 Stars
This book was one that caught my attention and vanished into my TBR pit. For what ever reason I requested it this year and then promptly forgot all about it as it took a few months to get my copy of it. This book started out so strong in my opinion. It's a simple enough premise as well. A woman ends up heading to the backwoods of North Carolina to clean out her grandmothers house after she passes away. While there she finds some weird things in the house and starts encountering some weird things out in the woods. The first part of this book did such an amazing job of establishing the characters and the setting while there was very little going on. The MC, Mouse, and her dog Bongo are great characters who you can't help but relate to. The supporting characters, mainly Foxy, are amazing as well. While nothing major is happening there is just the right amount of tension established through foreshadowing. In a way that I normally don't like but just works so well here. The whole "everything was going so well for now...". I loved how the main character was ignoring the spooky signs in a very realistic feeling way. She wasn't a TSTL kind of character she was just a real person. Sure that thing that happened was odd but I'm not from here, it only happened once, and I've got other things to deal with right now. So what happened to the book to tank the rating after all this praise? Basically the author showed us, the readers, the monster and it just fell apart. The MC does something, that in my opinion, is completely out of character and then we get to see the monster. From that point on the book just fell on it's face. The monster stopped making sense, there was no motivation behind it, there was no explanation for what was going on, and then it just ended. I felt so let down by the ending, especially after the stellar start that the book had.

Crimson Frost -4 Stars
Definitely loving this series more the second time through or I'm just a whole lot less picky then I was before. Regardless, this is the fourth installment in this series and the stakes are getting raised. I don't have a lot to really say, these are just fun to read for me and I am enjoying my reread of this series.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers -4 Stars
This book has me feeling very conflicted. I snagged it for challenge purposes and it sounded like a pretty interesting murder mystery. That right there brings me to my first massive problem with this book. The mystery in this book felt like it was a side character to a side character. It would show up every once in a while when it was needed but it was far from the main focus of the book. This was basically a literary fiction book about finding a new family with a very light sprinkling of mystery somewhere in the general vicinity of the book. It's about five strangers coming together over the death of one person and becoming a found family along the way. Watching these five bound over their experiences was by and far the highlight of this book. Followed closely by Vera herself. My other big complaint is that there were a few times where I just wanted everyone to sit down and talk to each other instead of getting close to saying something and then backing off. It wasn't high school romance manga levels of poor communication but it sure felt like it was getting close at times. Overall it was a bit of a mixed bag. There were times I was borderline bored and times I was borderline in tears.

The Apothecary Diaries Manga, Vol. 8 -5 Stars
Man, do I love this series and especially the MC, Maomao. I was a little bit lost reading this manga as it has been months since I last read this series, it takes the library forever to get some books in that are on order, and I am also watching the anime as it's coming out. Where I am at in the manga and where I'm at in the anime are very far apart. Reading this was a blast but it really makes me want to start over again but with the novels.

Yu-Gi-Oh!: Millennium World, Vol. 6: The Name of the Pharaoh -4 Stars
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Millennium World, Vol. 7: Through The Last Door -4 Stars
After a month and a half of running around I finally got these two books and my final step in the Yu-Gi-Oh journey. As I mentioned before I never expected to read this series let alone actually like it but here we are and this was a very satisfying ending. It might have felt a wee bit rushed in places but I get why the final fight was the one that it was and it was a very satisfying conclusion to the arc and the entire series. I don't think I'll be reading any of the spin off stuff though. I feel that the conclusion wrapped up the story and the stuff I'd be most interested in. I think the spin off series will be more about the card game than any larger story arc like this one was. Still, if you were ever curious like I was about this series or my reviews made you curious then give this a spin.

Magic Artisan Dahlia Wilts No More Vol. 5 -4 Stars
The latest installment in this chill, slice of life, fantasy series about basically a magical inventor. We get some more business, some more inventions, and some more very slow burn romance. Just a fun popcorn series to read.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2—Battle Tendency, Vol. 4 -5 Stars
The exciting conclusion to the Battle Tendency story arc with Joseph Joestar. This was a wild over the top adventure with the Pillar Men being a genuinely scary threat. I can't believe how quickly I read through this series and now I am ready for the next part, Stardust Crusaders.

Basil and Oregano -3 Stars
This was an interesting comic about romance and a magic cooking school where students learn to cook with, well, magic obviously. It's an interesting idea and really cute but it never felt like it reached it's full potential. This next thing might be a bit controversial so hopefully I articulate myself well enough. I am all for representation in media but I think this is an example of taking it a bit to far. It felt like nearly every character in this book had to be some sort of representation. To the point where the characters started feeling less like people and more like check boxes. Instead of this being Dandelion, a third generation magical chef, who specializes in cooking mushrooms and reading horror novels it's reduced to this is Dandelion, the trans character, or the gay character, or the Muslim character and that is the depth of their characterization. The latter does not make for a fun read in my opinion. I'm not saying every character needs a back story either but they should be there for more than the purpose of checking off something. Hopefully that was expressed clearly enough.

Dinosaur Sanctuary Vol. 3 -3 Stars
More scientific facts about dinosaurs while seeing how a small dinosaur sanctuary would be run if Jurassic Park actually happened. An interesting little series that makes for a quick read while learning some interesting little facts along the way.

Spy x Family, Vol. 3 -4 Stars
The next installment, for me anyways, in this series. It takes a long time to get some of this manga series, especially if they are super popular, so it's taking me some time to get through this one. I totally understand why this series is so popular though. The characters are great, the gags are funny, and it's just fun to read. Now I wait for the next volume. There are only 31 people ahead of me who are also waiting.

As for what is next... well, I need to update a week and a half of vacation reading into my various challenges *shudder*.

Bookshops & Bonedust
The Hobbit
I have both of these audiobooks downloaded, both I'm equally excited for, and I can't choose which one I want to start next but it will be one of these two.

For non audiobooks, not sure, back to hitting the library stack as usual.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and anything I might have missed. Have a great day everyone!

*Crawls out of his cave and throws out an update for the people before scurrying back into the shadows*

Bitter Fruit -3 Stars
I was talking to some one about Gold Eagle and it got me wanting to read some cheesy action adventure stuff. There is not a lot I can really say about this that I haven't said before. It's another Gold Eagle novel in the Deathlands series. The only thing really different about this one is that it is set in England instead of the US like they normally are. It's just a book where you turn off your brain and look at the pretty explosions.

You Sexy Thing -3 Stars
This book, this book I have many things to say about it. This is a real low three star rating, getting close to the 2.5 star territory. I think there are a lot of interesting ideas in this book but the execution just fell flat for me. Now part of it could have been my expectations heading into this book. I was heading into this book anticipating something like Kings of the Wyld where these dangerous and grizzled old veterans come out of retirement for one last adventure. What I really got was essentially a character piece with a couple of action scenes tossed in that were really just them running away from things. Which could have been interesting enough but only a three maybe four characters were actually focused on instead of the whole crew. There are a couple things I want to talk about but they are from the end of the book so spoiler wall.

(view spoiler)[
The first thing that I want to talk about is the torture scene towards the end of the book. Now in the grand scheme of torture scenes that I have read this was pretty mild in regards to content but it was the length. I listened to this audiobook while out for my daily walk which is usually a little over an hour long. For the entire time on my walk, and a bit more afterwards, it was just the constant stream of mental abuse and some physical abuse from the big bad guy. It just got to be tiring and a bit uncomfortable after a while. I'm not even sure what the entire point of it was either. It was already pretty well established that the bad guy was ruthless and bad by that point. Even if you want to use these scenes to really hammer that point home do you need it go on for over an hour? It also really clashes with the pacing and tone that the rest of the book had already set. This happens in the last third of the book and it just feels so out of place. Then there is the ending. It's revealed that the big bad guy is still alive and gunning for them. With everything else from the end of the book it felt like everything that I read was essentially pointless. There could have been a couple tweaks at the beginning and we would have been in the exact same place as we were at the end. It's not a great feeling when you get to the end of a book and it all felt pointless. That everything you read was essentially for nothing because you are basically back to where you were at the beginning of the book. Combine that with the lengthy torture scene and I was just left feeling frustrated by the end. (hide spoiler)]

I know that I have been pretty critical of this book but there is one thing I really want to praise and that is the world building. The creatures, the world, the history, everything was super interesting and I wanted to know more about this world. In the crew alone you have a four armed alien, a bird creature, a chimp, a squid creature, and twin werelions. There is also this blend of various sciences and magic to make everything work The world building just made this book feel like it was a world full of so many super interesting things to explore and eat.

The Mimicking of Known Successes -4 Stars
This brings me to this book. This book was an absolute joy to read and it left me wanting more. I'm not sure if I can wait until February for the next one. On the surface this book is a mystery set on Jupiter. So you are obviously pulling from those two different genres but there is so much more than that. The mystery feels like a blend between a cozy mystery and a historical mystery. The book felt like it was set in Victorian era England but with the occasional reminder that it was in fact a sci-fi set in the depths of space. Now this could have just been my imagination but I also got a faint hint of steampunk vibes as well. Nothing concrete but just a kind of vibe I was getting. On top of this there is also a sapphic romance in the novel as the two main characters are ex's seeing each other for the first in years. Like so many other things in this book this was also subtle and not up in your face. By the end there was definite romance but it took some time to build up to it. The mystery was solid, the romance was cute, the world building was amazing, the characters are great. This was just a treat for me. There was more than a few times I just wanted to crawl inside the book so I could explore some of these platforms that were being talked about. This book not only got me wanting the next one but just more cozy books set in space. Not sure where to go looking for that though.

Now for all the comics and manga

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 12 -4 Stars
More TMNT and it's still fun but the shine is kind of starting to dull a wee bit. I just feel like there are two many things going on making the story feel kind of disjointed. I also wasn't a fan of the Bebop/Rocksteady special either. Like the last one in a previous volume it starts out alright but then quickly over stays its welcome. I'm nearly caught up on this series though so that is nice.

Sorceline -3 Stars
This book has me feeling rather conflicted. On one hand the art work in this book is amazing and every page is just a feast for the eyes. The world building for the book is great. This secret island where those specially chosen can come to learn crypto-zoology is interesting. Combine that with how you get chosen and the creatures on the island are all cool. The story on the other hand is like watching paint dry. I struggled to stay engaged with this story. The worst part is I'm not sure if this is the authors fault or if it's a translation issue. I'm going to lean towards it being a translation issue. There is one more book and I'm going to read it just to see the conclusion but my expectations aren't that high.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2—Battle Tendency, Vol. 3 -5 Star
It's kind of spooky how fast I read this book. I started reading it figuring I'd get a few pages in while having a coffee. Next thing I know I'm two thirds of the way through the book with half a cold coffee left over. This book had a couple of great fights in it while also building to the conclusion of the story. I really cannot wait for the final volume.

His Majesty the Demon King's Housekeeper Vol. 3 -3 Stars
His Majesty the Demon King's Housekeeper Vol. 4 -3 Stars
More cute cleaning in a fantasy world with a super hot demon lord. It's mindless popcorn fluff that is entertaining.

The Nightmare Brigade #2: Into the Woods -3 Stars
I enjoyed the first book but this one kind of lost me when it started doing the whole dream within a dream within a dream within another dream story line. It just kind of got a bit confusing. The final story with the werewolf though was pretty good and I kind of wished that was the next story line and not the whole dream in a dream one. I don't think this is the last one in this series and I'll come back if more is ever published.

Unfamiliar, Vol. 2 -4 Stars
More of this cute blend of cute things, horror, and fantasy. I think this is the end of the story which is kind of a bummer as this is just a fun read.

As for what is next

The Twisted Ones
This will be my next audiobook that I'm listening to. Yes, I'm listening to a horror novel at Christmas time, don't ask.

Outside of that I just have this never ending stack of things from the library.

Congrats! Hopefully everything works out well

Time for a random update. I'm on vacation and my only plans involve reading as much as possible. As a result my updates will be a bit random for the next 2-3 weeks.

The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage -3 Stars
I saw this in the list of books that the library had on order and I wanted to give it a read. I grew up in the 80's and 90's on this action movies so I was interested what behind the scenes kind of things I could find out. Overall this book wasn't that bad but by the end I was looking forward to it finally being done. It kind of felt like it overstayed its welcome a little bit. This focused on eight big stars of the 80's and 90's with that being Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan, Dolph Lundgren, Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Bruce Willis. Most of the focus of the book seemed to be on Arnie and Stallone though with small detours for the other actors. The other thing I noticed is that the book never really dug that deep into anything. It gave a bunch of surface level details on a certain topic before moving onto the next thing. It hinted at a few scandals for the stars but again just never really went into a lot of details. I think that's why I was glad it was over by the end. I wanted a little bit more depth and I just wasn't getting it. That being said I did learn a few little interesting tidbits along the way. I think the one star I wanted to know more about was Jackie Chan and it felt like the book really overlooked a lot of his stuff.

In Another World With My Smartphone: Volume 9 -3 Stars
The next book in this popcorn series. I feel like this book actually moved a few different plot points along while giving us hints on some of the bigger plot points in the series. Again, it's not high literature but it's a fun popcorn read.

Dark Frost -4 Stars
I feel like I might have been a bit harsh on this series the first time I read it. I've been bumping up my ratings as I've been reading through these. They are not five star reads by any means but they are fun. This one here continues the story with Reapers and Loki, the love story between Gwen and Logan. As I've said before Estep is great at writing popcorn reads and that is exactly what this is.

Mall Goth -3 Stars
I have some mixed feelings about this book. I am not the core demographic for this book and while that is not something I normally worry about a lot, I think the core demographic would get more from this book then I do. The MC is a young 15 year old bisexual girl trying to figure out, well, life. She is dealing with a lot in her life. She moves to a new small town with her mom, her parents are having issues at home, she is struggling with her sexuality and finding acceptance, she is struggling with dating. Oh and one other thing, her English teacher at school is flirting with her. This last plot point shifts it from what I would call regular teenage angst and exploration into something much, much heavier. The "dating" plot point also deals with some heavier issues as the there is lying and exploitation involved. I don't know, I think this book was just a lot heavier than I anticipated and just not written for someone like me. Maybe someone in similar spot in their life would get a lot more from this book then I ever would.

They Called Us Enemy -4 Stars
A solid read about George Takei's first hand experience in the Japanese internment camps of WWII and how that shaped his life afterwards. Just a very interesting and emotional read about something that I don't think is talked about much. Either in the US or here in Canada.

Are You Lost?, Vol. 2 -3 Stars
Are You Lost?, Vol. 3 -3 Stars
Now that The Last Action Heroes and They Called Us Enemy are done my reading schedule is full of nothing but fluff and fun. That includes these two books. Like I mentioned last time these books are about four girls lost on deserted island trying to stay alive. This is some more peak popcorn reading that I want right now.

What is next?

You Sexy Thing
This is the audiobook that I am listening to on my walks right now and so far I have some mixed feelings. I'm a little over half way into this book and I feel like I'm just marking time until something exciting happens. I think part of my problem is just my own expectations. For what ever reason I went into this expecting something like Kings of the Wyld. The old folks in a job where you normally die young being dragged out of retirement kind of trope. I feel like we are a step or two from getting that and the book is just spinning me along. I just want things to finally kick off and give me what I want.

Outside of that I am just going to keep working through my stack of library books.

They are and are supposed to be at Sobeys, a Canadian grocery store chain. I'll have to check when I'm in there later this week.

That looks tasty.

This, this was a week of reading for me and I'm going to have more going forward. Lets just get into what I read this week.

Eaters of the Dead -3 Stars
The big thing I wanted to work on this week was my genre challenge for the month and this months genre was Historical Fiction which lead me to this book. I had to pick a book from a Listopia list and this was the first one that wasn't an 800 page super serious drama piece. This lead me to discover a whole bunch of things about this book that had some nostalgic ties for me. This book was the basis for the movie called The 13th Warrior starring Antonio Banderas that I rather enjoyed from way back in the day. I also discovered that the book was written on a bet to see if the author could make Beowulf interesting. Which leads me back to the book.

This book was meh at best. It's a style that I don't really see any more and I think that is for good reason. This book tries to blend historical fact and just plain fiction. To do this the book opens on a history lesson on who the MC is in actual history. Then throughout the book there are a ton of little notes as to historical context of this and that. These would have been at the bottom of the page in the original novel but for my ebook they were at the end of the chapter. This kind of layout disrupts the flow of reading in my opinion. You read a bit, pause, track down the note, read the context, find your spot again, continue reading until the next note. It takes the reader out the flow of the story and I don't really like it. I remember seeing this kind of thing a lot when I was growing up. The story itself is kind of meh and I found a lot of repetition in the story itself. I was constantly reminded of the sexual practices of the Vikings for some reason and it got a bit tiring. I really, really don't need to be reminded constantly about them openly taking a slave when ever they liked. Between the repetition, the constant history lessons, there is not a whole lot of book left for actual story and it shows. It's not a horrible book but it's not a great book either.

In Another World With My Smartphone: Volume 8 -3 Stars
My first of many fluffy popcorn books this month. This book is far from anything even remotely considered great literature and I'm fine with that. Sometimes you just need a fun read to turn your brain off and sink into.

The Curse of the Pharaohs -4 Stars
Reference above note about historical fiction. I had some reservations heading into this second book. I saw some reviews stating that it just wasn't as good as the first and other issues and I can happily say that is not an issue in my opinion. This takes place some five or six years after the first one. Amelia and Radcliffe are married, they have a child now, and have withdrawn from doing digs to raise their young son. A new dig comes up and they are once again lured back to Egypt leaving their son in England for the winter. While in Egypt they deal with opening a tomb and solving a murder mystery. This was good mystery that kept me guessing up to nearly the end and did a great job with its red herrings. What really sold me on this book though was the MC and her relationship with her husband, Radcliffe. These two are going down onto my favorite couples list. Both are incredibly smart, headstrong, and competitive individuals that just work well together. While they are always trying to one up the other they also have each others backs when it counts. It's just so different then the usual Victorian era man dominate, woman submissive kind of relationship you might normally see. These two are a riot together and it just makes reading about them so much fun. Also, sex. These two are frisky as hell but the book handles it very well. There are no explicit sex scenes in the entire book but there are numerous, and I do mean numerous, hints and implications that these two have a very active sex life.

Now for the comics and manga

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2—Battle Tendency, Vol. 2 -4 Stars
Again, see above note about Historical Fiction. This book is just pure fun. These super buff handsome men battling with each other using essentially super model poses is just weird and yet somehow engaging. There are very real stakes to these battles and I am here for all of it.

How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift? Vol. 5 -3 Stars
How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift? Vol. 6 -3 Stars
I think these two books are a great example of why I'm just not the biggest fan of pure gag manga. I was ready to drop this series but there was a hook at the end of volume four that made me want to read on. It was the silly idea of a punching strength contest and knowing Hibiki's hidden talent I had to see how it played out. This contest only took a few pages and then we are moving on. Another interesting idea and we are already moving on. It just feels like this series is ricocheting from one idea to the next without ever actually exploring anything. I'm not expecting the deepest exploration in a gag manga but I'd like to see more than a page or two on some of these ideas. I'm done with this series and ready to move on.

Call of the Night, Vol. 1 -3 Stars
Call of the Night, Vol. 2 -3 Stars
I was curious about this series as I've heard rumbles here and there about it. I don't know if it was the mood I was in or what but man I just wasn't feeling this. The basic premise of this series is we have a 14 year old boy who suffers from insomnia. He goes out at night and discovers the joy of the world late at night. The silence, the openness, it's just a different world. Along the way he meets a female vampire and a friendship starts. Alright, I can appreciate the idea of it being a different world late at night. For myself I'm an extremely early morning person (I'm awake any time between 2 and 4 AM) and I can agree with that idea. The world is slower, quieter, and just has a peaceful feel to it. What doesn't work for me though is all the emotional stuff and the relationship between the two of them. The MMC want's to become a vampire to get away from all his problems. By being a vampire he can embrace this night life and leave all his problems behind. It's not just a simple bite though. He has to be in love with the vampire before that bite can change him. Until then it's just something physical. For me, this felt like a veiled message for sex especially with several of the conversations that took place in the second volume. This makes the age dynamics of this a little weird. It never states how old the FMC is but she is older than the MMC. While in some ways she is still rather immature in many ways she feels not only much more mature but straight up manipulative of this young boy. I know that there are all sorts of "odd" relationships in anime/manga. Some of it works and some of it doesn't. For me this is one that just doesn't. Maybe I wouldn't be as weirded out if the MMC was even 2-3 years older. Regardless, I'm done with this series and ready to find something else.

The Boxer, Vol. 4 -4 Stars
I finally got the fourth book in the series and I just devoured it. I have no idea what it is about this series but it just pulls me in hard. I'm not really a fan of boxing or combat sports in general. About the only combat sport I watch is sumo. This book just does a great job capturing the training, the fights, the feel of everything. The fight in the beginning between Jean and our MC where Jean just stops seeing his opponent as even human. He is just this monster in the ring with him that is far beyond his skills. The debut fight in the second half that just has you on the edge of your seat while reading it. These books go by way to quickly and it's way to long until the next one is published.

As for what is next, I'm not really sure. I have basically a month off work and nothing but time to read. I need to find my next audiobook today for my daily walks and I'm debating between a challenge book and more fluff. Outside of that I started last night which is an exploration into the action hero stars of the 80's. So far we have mainly focused on Stallone and Schwarzenegger but it looks like the book will touch on Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, Jackie Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, and Dolph Lundgren. I spent a lot of time watching these men when I was growing up and it's kind of interesting getting a chance to peer behind the curtains a bit.

Time for that weekly update and there is not a lot to talk about. There were a lot of distractions this week with a new computer, my sleep schedule going out the window (not related to the computer), etc that I just didn't get much reading done.

The Unleashing -4 Stars
So as I mentioned last week I am on the hunt for some more U's which led me back to this trilogy. This book was just as fun as the first time I read it. The whole mixing of Norse mythology with basically LA culture makes for an interesting read. I can't wait for the next book and actually finishing this trilogy this time.

Now for a couple points that are about the book but not the story itself. First, I really am not a fan of romance covers. They really seem to do a horrible job of matching the character description in the book. For either this cover or the one with the guy in the hoodie it's these pretty boys on the cover but the description of Vig in the books is hard stereotypical viking who terrifies most people with just his presence. I'm picture this man mountain with a long bushy beard and even longer hair. Instead the cover has this guy with styled haired and a neatly trimmed beard. Who is that? It doesn't match the description of anyone in the book. The second thing is the narrator choice for this novel. I don't think she is a bad narrator and in the right book she is perfectly fine. I'm just not sure about having her as a narrator for this book. I recognized her from another book I read and she has this kind of nasally Southern accent which just doesn't work when trying to pronounce Norse names. It just sounds... weird... wrong... just not right. For the most part it isn't to bad as the Crows are this hodge podge of everyone. It's scenes with people like Vig. Again, Vig, he is a massive burly Swedish viking who I picture still having his accent because that would be important to him. I swear there are times where she is trying to pull off an accent but it's this "Norse" accent filtered through this Southern filter and it's just... weird. It's not enough to put me off the book or anything but it's definitely strange.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 11 -4 Stars
I'm still very much enjoying this series but there is a part of me that is a bit puzzled with the overall direction of things. In the beginning of this collection it was easily recognizable as the Turtles that I remember from when I was a kid. Now a lot of those story elements are resolved and we are moving on to new story lines and the story feels a bit odd. Right now a good chunk is firmly buried in sci-fi elements. Aliens, other dimensions, invasions of earth, etc. Then in the middle of the earth invasion story line it hard pivots back into the story line about immortal beings and magic and it just feels out of place. Like the stories weren't blended well together. Part of the problem could be that these collections are pulling from 2-3 different series to make one story and instead of one writer with their own ideas it's a collection of writers all with there own inputs. Again it's not bad and I'm still enjoying the story line but I'm kind of wondering where things are going.

Are You Lost?, Vol. 1 -3 Stars
I was bored at work and browsing the new releases on Hoopla and saw that they had acquired the official translation of this series which was a favorite of mine from a few years back. It's one of those books that falls into the Cute Girls Doing Cute Things genre mixed with elements of ecchi and comedy. It's about four girls who were are involved with a plane crash and wash up on a deserted island. Three of those girls are your normal average school girls. Then there is Homare. She has been trained by her father to survive in any environment is a walking SAS Survival Guide. Without this one character the other three girls would have been dead a long time ago. This series is just a popcorn read and I love it for that.

The Nightmare Brigade #1: The Case of The Girl from Deja Vu -4 Stars
This was a random snag from the library and it's an odd one. You have a father who is running some sort of experiments on dreams and sleep. He has discovered that people can enter others dreams but only children. Adults seem to be detected as soon as they enter the dreams of others. As a result he uses his son and his adopted son to enter the nightmares of others to try to help them find resolution. There is a lot more involved with the story and there are hints of much, much darker elements at play. I'm really curious about what this story is doing and I want the second volume.

Now, what is next

The Curse of the Pharaohs
My next audiobook and one I need for a few different challenges.

For things that are not audiobook related I'm just going to keep working on this stack of comics and manga from the library.

Time for that weekly update again. I know I'm a bit late but life and getting caught up in a book does that to you.

The Maltese Falcon -3 Stars
The last book I needed for my classics month and I have some conflicted feelings about this book. There is a small part of me that likes this book. There is a part of me that can appreciate what this book is and it's influence on the genre and on things that I like. That being said this is definitely a book that hasn't aged well in my opinion. Now I am aware that I am judging this book through modern eyes. The MC, the hero, the private dick, of this book is one Sam Spade and he is a POS. There is just no way to sugar coat this at all. The man trashes talks his partner the entire book. The partner that was just murdered. The partner who's wife the MC is sleeping with and stringing along with promises of love and marriage that he has no intention of fulfilling. This is the MC who treats women like crap. Well lets be honest he kind of treats everyone like crap really. The other big issue I had with this book is the mystery. I have read some basic mysteries, I've read some complex mysteries, I've read some real head scratcheres. Our MC in this book basically solves the mystery by standing in a room and yelling at people until they tell him what he wants to hear. I don't feel like there was a whole lot of real sleuthing in this book. Overall it was just alright. The full cast, while having its odd moments, really helped me get through this book.

A Half-Baked Murder -4 Stars
This book has a tag line stating that this cozy mystery is "groundbreaking" and "unlike anything out there" and not really. Don't get me wrong there is one big selling point about this book and it was intriguing enough to draw me in. Now depending on you personal views this will either be a nothing burger or scandalous. The book is about baking treats laced with cannabis. That is the big deal with this book and it's no secret either. I mean look at the cover, read the synopsis, it's all there. I think the topic is handled well. It's not glorified and it's not really downplayed to the point where it's barely even in the book. Outside of this point I'd say in many ways this is another cozy mystery with a lot of the tropes one would expect from a cozy mystery novel. A murder in a small town, MC inserts herself into the case for reasons, a love interest, people in town with secrets not related to the case, etc. Now don't get me wrong here, I think this book did a great job setting things up and there is a solid bedrock here to start a series. One early thing that really sold me on the book was that the MC went to the police immediately after something bad happened to her. There was none of the multitude of reasons that usually abound in cozies for not going to the police. A bad thing happened and immediately a police report was filed. I rather liked that. I also liked that the MC didn't have a personal connection to the police. No budding love interest, no personal connections on the force. She found something out, took it to the police for them to process. Overall I'd say this is a good start for the series and one I'll be back for more of when it's released.

-4 Stars
I was a bit shocked how good this second book was. I've reread the first one a couple of times and it's not a great start to a series. We also know where this series ends up at as well. That is why when I reread this one it was a bit shocking just how good it was. It was a solid UF and a solid mystery with little romance or sexual tension in the book. If you look at it from a larger picture knowing where things go you can kind of see some of those later pesky elements kind of lurking here. In particular that Anita is the biggest and baddest badass around but what UF doesn't have this story element to some degree. I'm feeling this tempest call to reread this series and I'm not sure I want to get sucked down this black hole.

Shadows in Death -5 Stars
This is becoming my favorite style of In Death book. The faster paced thriller kind where they already know the bad guy and it's a race to catch them. It's more In Death and I'm here for it. I also want to comment on the end of the book. Without getting into to many spoilers seeing most of the homicide team jump in a shuttle and race across the ocean to another country to nab the villain felt like it was kind of jumping the shark a wee bit. Don't get me wrong I was all onboard for it but I could hear the whole suspension of disbelief starting to crack a wee bit around the edges.

Now what is up next...

The Unleashing
I need a lot and I mean A LOT of U's for some spelling challenges and this trilogy will give me three. Plus I liked it the first time I read it and I never did finish the trilogy. Now to see if I'm alright with listening to sex scenes being read to me in public. Still very unsure how I feel about that one in general.

Outside of that I am caught up on my novels so this week I am focusing on cleaning up a bunch of manga and comics that have been building up from the library.

Time for another update and it's not a nice one. This was not the greatest week of reading.

Halloween Frost -3 Stars
Not a lot to really say about this novella. It's a short, 30ish pages, story about Gwen going out on Halloween and running into a monster. There is not a lot here really. It was a quick, entertaining read.

The Outsiders -3 Stars
Hot spicy take of the day, this book was alright. Now I feel like I need to put a whole lot of context on that statement. This was an impressive book when you consider that it was written by someone who was 15-16 years old. The big emotional scenes did indeed hit like a truck and I found myself near to tears a few times in this book. It was all the stuff between those big emotional scenes. Don't get me wrong they weren't bad but they weren't all that that and a bag of chips either. Some of the messages are still relevant but I feel that this book is a tad dated at this time. I also never read the book or watched the movie when I was younger so I don't have that emotional attachment that others did. It was an interesting read that I don't regret reading.

The Deep End -3 Stars (more like 2.5)
Here is where things start to go off the rails for me. I needed a book set in Kansas City and I figured I can't really go wrong with a murder mystery and I was partially right. The murder mystery part of the book was alright, it was just everything around the mystery that just didn't click with me. The MC was a Kansas City socialite who's life revolved around gossip and the country club. Right out that gate this is not exactly my cup of tea. Old white ladies sitting around looking down their noses at everyone who also isn't an old white lady and in their small circle of socially acceptable friends. When appearances are more important that any shred of basic human decency. It just grates against me worse than nails on a chalkboard. There was a scene where our MC saves a man who the killer had tried to murder. Her mother saw her as a disappointment because she was seen by the neighbors in the house of a man early in the morning that wasn't her husband. She saved a man but none of that matters because you made the family look bad. That kind of mindset is just disgusting. Any way, enough ranting about the country club weirdos. This book was also trying to crowbar in this weird love triangle between the MC, her lawyer (that mother hired), and the lead police investigator. For the most part the MC was focused on her daughter, what was happening in her life, etc. Then there were these weird scenes where it felt like the entire book just jumped genres because why not. The MC and her lawyer would be alone in the kitchen, the lawyer would get up, come around behind her, put his hands on her shoulders. I swear I could hear cheesy romance music playing somewhere as she would suddenly become fixated on his muscles, his lips, etc, etc. It was just so weird and out of place. That and the fact that the main love interests are basically the last people she should be showing any interest in at all during the investigation of her husbands death. A fair bit of the book involved kinks and a sex club and the views of these sort of things was rather negative, shocking considering the crowd I know. It just got tiring to hear this constant string of negativity because someone wanted to use a blindfold or what not. This last point is a weird nitpick but once I noticed it I couldn't avoid it. This book loved to end its chapters in a certain way. A lot of chapters loved to end with a line like "today was the worst day of my life but tomorrow decided to prove me wrong" or "I decide to ignore the letter as surely it wasn't important but I was very wrong". Maybe it was because I already wasn't vibing with this book and this was just one more thing but this got on my nerves every time it happened. Needless to say I will not be continuing with this series.

The Infinite and the Divine -DNF
I picked this up for a book club and I was rather stoked for this one. This book is set in the Warhammer 40K universe and it's one of those fandoms that intrigue me. The problem is that it's not an easy thing to get into as the lore is vast and deep. That is basically my problem with this book. Nothing was explained, you were tossed into this book with the expectation that you already knew the characters, their race, and their history. I got through four chapters or about 17-18% before I threw in the towel. I was lost and bored. After all that book I still couldn't tell you which character on the cover was which as no one was described. It was just this is so and so the archivist or this is so and so the farseer. Obviously this book is popular amongst those that know the lore but for a newbie like me I was just bored.

Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition Volume 2 -4 Stars
The one shining star this week. After the first one I was a bit hesitant to continue on with this series but after reading this volume I'm glad that I did. There is still some uncomfortable elements with Minnie but a lot of this book was focused on a new villain for Rally and that character was Goldie. She was an enforcer for the Mob and had arrived from Italy to sort out the mess that was the local scene. Goldie just felt like that perfectly evil foil for our MC. Rally might bend the rules but she is that essentially good character doing the right thing. Goldie on the other hand is just a bad person with no limits to the depth of her depravity. Watching these two clash was just fun as Goldie wasn't just some dumb gun toting brute. She was smart and twisted and had our hero on the ropes for most of the book. I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series.

Now, what is next...

The Maltese Falcon
The Laughing Corpse
The Maltese Falcon is the last one I need to finish up the Classics genre for the month. Since it's a short book I'll be starting The Laughing Corpse right afterwards.

A Half-Baked Murder
Shadows in Death
I always joked that you can find a cozy mystery setting for anything you can thing of. A Half-Baked Murder is a cozy mystery where the MC bakes cannabis treats. For premise alone I had to snag this one. After is more In Death which I feel like I need right now.

I'm starting to get this itch to start a One Piece reread. Not sure why but maybe it's time to get back into this manga again.

Alright, I'm a bit late but here is my weekly update. Consider this your early warning, this week ended with a fair bit of emotional damage and I'll be talking about some of that. For now let's start with the lighter side of my reading.

Kiss of Frost -4 Stars
This book started out a little rocky with the main character dancing on that TSTL line as she tries to ignore all these threats against her life. Once things got rolling though this book was very entertaining. I did bump my rating up and that might be me just getting soft in my old age but I enjoy this series and the ending of this was good.

Domestication -4 Stars
This was a book that I got on a whim and it was better then it had any right to be. The name of this series is Battle Mage Farmer and as you can guess from that title it's about this super powerful person retiring to this quiet life out in the country to become a farmer. He has limitations though with these things called "Doom Points". If he cuts loose and uses his power to hurt others he gains doom points which hurries the arrival of the apocalypse. If he does good things he looses doom points. That is a super simplified explanation of this system. Now he knows nothing about farming and is gifted a run down old farm. This first book is about him getting his farm up and running with two people living on his farm while dealing with bandits, adventurers, and the looming apocalypse. There was a shocking amount of world building in this book and a pleasant blend of slice of life elements, action elements, and adventure elements. Combine all of that with a narrator who had a nice voice to listen to and this book was just a blast.

Days of Love at Seagull Villa, Vol. 1 -4 Stars
Days of Love at Seagull Villa, Vol. 2 -4 Stars
Days of Love at Seagull Villa Vol. 3 -4 Stars
I read this a couple years back as a fan translation and was stoked to see that my library had the official English version. This was a feel good read with a super sweet romance. I'm still not the biggest fan of the ending and the redemption it brought but I can live with it.

Yu-Gi-Oh! (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 12: Includes Vols. 34, 35 & 36 -4 Stars
My journey with this series is nearly complete and we are learning more and more about the Egyptian magic aspect of this series.

The Great Cleric (Manga) Vol. 3 -4 Stars
More training, more world building, more fun.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 10 -4 Stars
More TMNT shenanigans. A lot of this book takes place in Dimension X rounding up/protecting witnesses to finally put Krang in prison for the rest of his life. There was a pleasant twist at the end of this story line and an interesting set up for what is coming next.

Now for the emotional damage stuff

Berserk Deluxe Edition Volume 13 -5 Stars
The short version of this is that I loved it. It's Berserk, that should come as no surprise at all. This volume was all new material for me and it just kicked off all these memories and emotions. There were actions in this book that are working towards resolving some real long standing story lines. This is also the second last collection of the author's work before he passed. This of course brought up memories of finding out about his passing, how I found this series some 20 years ago in Japan, what this series has meant to me over the years and my journey with this story. The whole Japan thing also brought up memories of my ex-wife who passed earlier this year. The whole reason I was in Japan to start with was because of her. This just led to a whole lot of emotions and memories getting stirred up. Combine that with everything that was happening in the book and my emotional ties to that and I was a wee bit of a hot mess by the end of all of this.

The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale -5 Stars
Yup, after Berserk I followed it up with this comic. For those that might not have heard of this before this is a comic about the Holocaust. The author is the son of two Polish Jews who survived the whole horrifying experience and it's attempt at documenting what his parents experienced. Needless to say this book was incredibly heavy. I've been aware of this comic for a while but due to the heavy subject matter I've just kind of avoided it. This month it lined up perfectly for some challenges and I decided to rip the band-aid off. I knew it was going to be getting into some pretty serious subject matter but man there were sections in this book that just destroyed me. This book didn't just document the experiences of the Holocaust but what life was like for the author growing up with two parents who survived what they had. Being compared to brother he never knew, having his mother commit suicide, and this sense of guilt for never being able to understand what his parents had lived through.

What am I reading next? No clue, I have another day of this week and a stack from the library. What I can tell you is right now I want something light and fluffy to read. Something to just reset my emotional scales and make me feel a bit better.

Alright, lets get into what I read this week. While there are a couple of three star books in this line up this was a pretty solid week of reading.

Vampire Hunter D -3 Stars
This franchise holds a special place in my memories. Back when I was first started getting into anime way back in the early 2000's the 1985 movie was one of those things that hooked me in and I'll explain why here in a bit. I was strong armed (I had noodle arms so it wasn't hard) into a reread of this book and my opinion really hasn't changed in the years since I last read this. I'm going to get my criticism out of the way early so that I can properly gush about what I love. The pacing in this book can be a bit rough. Now I can't really say if this was a problem with the original or if it was a translation issue. Maybe something got lost in the localization/translation process but there were times where things felt clunky or just straight up dragged. Now for all the good. I love, love, love the world building for this series. On the surface you have what looks like a medieval fantasy/horror type of setting. Werewolves, vampires, men on horseback dealing with the scary things in the night with swords. Before long though you realize that the MC is riding a cyborg horse, that some characters have laser rifles, that there are force fields, the vampires have created monsters through gene manipulation, and more. That's right this is technically a sci-fi novel as it's set some 10,000 years in the future. I love the way this series blends all these various genres together into something new and ahead of its time for when it came out. Then there is the main character who is simply known as D. He is a Dhampir which is someone who is half vampire and half human. As someone who grew up on the action stars of the 80's D was so incredibly different. He wasn't a hulking behemoth spitting out one liners left and right. D is tall, beautiful, with long flowing hair and very little to say at all. For a much younger me this series was just so different and it just clicked with me. Some 20+ years later and I still enjoy things and I see myself departing on a journey of trying to read all the books that are available in English.

Confessions -4 Stars
I was not prepared for the journey that this book took me on. I can't remember how this popped up on my list but it was something horror related. After reading this book I don't think that this is a horror but it is definitely a dark psychological thriller and a master class in the art of revenge. This book centers around the tragic death of a four year old girl who is the daughter of one of the teachers in the school. Each chapter is from a different POV as it explores each of the characters and their motivations behind the tragic event. Now I will echo a criticism I saw a lot of for this book which is it gets a bit slow in the middle. There are about four chapters in a row focusing on one student, from different POV's, and it gets a little tedious. Since this is all about one event it feels like there is a lot of retreading of the same material. Now the author does try to gloss over stuff we already know but because we are getting the inner thoughts of different people there is a lot of going over the same material. It's not a deal breaker but it does drag a little. Once you get past that though you head into the explosive ending that left me flabbergasted and with my jaw on the floor. I haven't experienced an ending that left me just that messed up. I'm really glad I picked up this book and gave it a try.

The Darkest Thread -3 Stars
This book left me feeling pretty conflicted by the end. On one hand there is a real sold mystery here involving sniffer dogs that kept me guessing up until the very end. The author was really good about dropping red herrings and leading the reader astray. There are some issues with the book though. For whatever reason there is a paranormal element in the book. The MC and her son can see and hear ghosts. It was used effectively a few times but it still just felt kind of out of place. Then there was a romance subplot. Nothing against romance in books but this really did not belong in this book at all. They are searching for a missing girl who's sister has been brutally murdered. The MC's son has been kidnapped and his release is hinging upon that missing girl being found in a certain time. Trying to pry a romantic subplot into the book just felt... icky. For instance there is a scene where the FMC is trapped underground with the MMC. It's about 12 hours until the deadline and they still haven't found the missing girl. Both characters are fatigued and injured. So lets have them flirt and try to create this romantic tension between the two. It just felt weird. Then there is my biggest criticism. Now I know I am reading a fictional book and things are not going to be 100% accurate to real life but the actions of the FBI in this book was just immersion breaking. Police officers in a Scooby Doo movie would probably be more effective then these characters. Why seal a crime scene when you can everyone just wander through doing what they want. Lets give our gun to the MC so that the brave agent can wander off into the dark looking for killer completely unarmed. In the start it wasn't that bad but the closer we got the end the worse it got and more often it happened. I was thinking about continuing this series but the whole FBI thing was just to much by the end and I'm done with things.

Shock Shop -3 Stars
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There is a much younger version of me that would have loved this comic but current me was just bored. This was one of that horror comics that relied really heavily on the classic tropes. It had a horror host who introduced each chapter, the story was just the same old horror cliches. If you have ever seen an episode of Crypt Keeper or read the comics then you know exactly what you are getting here and that's what my issue is with this. I've read so many comics and short story collections that follow this exact same formula to the letter that it just doesn't have an impact on me anymore. It just feels like something that has been recycled and I want something new.

Beauty and the Feast 08 -3 Stars
Speaking of more of the same. There is still a part of me that enjoys this series but it's a lot of the same. Tons of food related stuff, sports stuff, and that weird tension. That tension where the story tries to be super wholesome but then it has super sexy splash pages. That weird tension where the author really wants there to be something between these two characters but backs off at the last minute.

Isabellae Volume 1 -4 Stars
This is a Spanish comic that takes place in medieval Japan and is a combination of Irish and Japanese mythology. Confused yet? This was such a random comic but it was entertaining. A lot of action scenes and a lot of set up for the big finale. I feel like this comic has a ton of potential and it will either succeed in the second book or completely fall flat on its face. I don't see there being much middle ground for this one.

Another Kind -5 Stars
This was a random snag from the library and I didn't have a lot of expectations for this one. I figured I'd get some middle grade horror novel that was just alright. I was not prepared for all the emotions this book made me feel. This was a found family book about six monster children who are in government protection. Things happen and they find themselves on their own and out in the real world. They have to learn how to trust each other while overcoming hurdles and finding their way in the world. It was just a wonderful read and one I highly recommend.

Now for what is next.

Domestication
I had a choice this week between a challenge audiobook or a "just because" audiobook and the "just because" book won out. I'm about 25% of the way into this book and I'm having fun so far.

Kiss of Frost
Finally getting around to me reread of this book and enjoying it so far. It's a bit frustrating early on as the MC is displaying some hard TSTL traits.

After that I have yet more manga I need to get done and back to the library.

Time for that weekly update again. On a side note I'm happy to say that I've finished my 300th book this year over the weekend. Now for my usual ramblings.

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight -3 Stars
Don't take that three star rating the wrong way. This book was incredibly close to getting a solid 4 star and it was only the last couple chapters that made it waver. I don't even dislike the ending, I was more puzzled and maybe a bit frustrated. Let me take this back a second and start at the beginning shall we. I loved the start of this book. There is the stereotypical "summer camp" used in so many 80's horror movies that was actually used in an 80's slasher flick. At this camp they recreate the slasher movie experience with the guest playing the victims. I loved this idea and seeing all the planning that went into this was fascinating. We join the cast at the end of the season when they are suddenly forced to shut down early. We start learning more about the camp and local events. Again, big old thumbs up from. Now from here we are starting to getting into spoiler territory so I'm going to get really vague. From here we get introduced to the "antagonistic force" and while not the twist I was expecting I was still on board for things. Then we get to the ending. I'm not going to spoil anything but it just felt like the author started flailing and was throwing out twist after twist after twist. Most of these twist weren't really that surprising and I was just left kind of feeling puzzled why they felt the need to do so. The twists aren't even bad either. If the author had just paused, took a step back, and fleshed out some of these ideas, maybe tied them together a bit more, maybe cut some of them, then I think the ending could have really knocked it out of the park. Then we have the epilogue that just left me with a boat load of unanswered questions. Overall I'd say if you're curious of the book I'd still give it a chance. It's a pretty solid book overall and you might just like the ending.

Duel at Araluen -4 Stars
I have some pretty mixed feelings about this one. On one hand it's more Rangers Apprentice and it scratches the itch I have for this series. On the other hand there is just something vague missing from this series. I'm going to have a bit of a hard time explaining this one but here it goes. It feels like the author knew what we the fans wanted and made sure that those elements were included in the book. At the same time it just never felt inspired either. It feels like the author is writing these more for the fans and his publisher then for himself. There is a spark that feels like it is missing from these books that the earlier ones had. I also wish there was more focus on Maddie with new support characters for her. Instead we get a giant roster of characters from the original series and the Brotherhood series. This aren't guest appearances either but full sections dedicated to just these characters. It feels like Maddie isn't given a chance to really grow or become her own character when all these other characters take up so much page space. Overall this book was still a fun adventure book but I'm concerned with the direction this series is taking.

PTSD Radio Omnibus 3 (Vol. 5-6) -4 Stars
This book continues with the spooks and the weird story telling style but it just didn't have the impact of the second one. The second one legit spooked me in a way that I haven't had happen in a long time. This one just kind of felt like more of the first one. Not a bad read but it wasn't the second volume.

How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? Vol. 3 -3 Stars
How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? Vol. 4 -3 Stars
More of the same. The same jokes, the same pages showing you how to properly work out, just more of the same. I was honestly going to drop this one but then it hinted at a punching competition in the next one and I'm curious considering Hibiki's hidden talents. I guess I'm reading a couple more for now but I don't see it last a lot longer.

Now what is next.

The Darkest Thread
I'm finally getting to the last book I need for challenge I have been stalled on for a while. I'm about an hour into this so far and it seems fine. I wasn't expecting the introduction of actual paranormal elements into what seemed like a pretty grounded mystery. Not sure how I feel about this but I'll see where it goes.

Vampire Hunter D
About three quarters of the way through this and enjoying my reread of it.

After that I've got:
Confessions and Kiss of Frost