YA Addicted Book Club discussion
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What are you reading in 2023?
Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "Finished 
and loved it. Gave it 4.5 stars. It was almost 5, but it was a little slow to start.Also finished
and gave it 3 stars..."Wow, I'm waiting for your thoughts on Sword Catcher.
I'm doing this a little early as it's been an odd week of reading and I've got a lot to talk about. The week started good, flopped into a funk in the middle, and then ended strong.
Connections in Death -5 StarsIt's another In Death book and I loved it. I'm really not sure what to say after reading 48 of these books now. Still love it and I don't see that changing.
Deep Storm -3 StarsI have some pretty conflicting feelings about this book and I'm not sure if the book was just middle of the road or I've grown out of this genre. This is a a "tehcno-thriller" kind of book. Basically this is one of those books that you would find in your local grocery store. Something mysterious has been found on the ocean floor off the coast of Greenland. The military and scientist are working together to discover what it is. Secrets are revealed, tension is had, blah, blah, blah. This book wasn't bad per-se but man was it by the numbers. This book also loves that techno babble. There was so much techno babble in this book. The other odd thing was that this was book one in the Jeremy Logan series. To me that would mean that the series is about Jeremy Logan. In this book he showed up once, in chapter 13. He did a little research and then was never seen again. He was never on location, he had no bearing on the story, nothing. He almost felt like a cameo in a series named after him.
Legends & Lattes -5 StarsI read this book last year and I loved it. Earlier this year I was combing through the audiobooks on Libby looking for something to listen to when I saw that the library had acquired the audiobook version. I immediately knew that I had to listen to this and requested a copy. After many, many, many months of waiting I finally got my copy and loved it all over again. I love the characters, I love the world, I love the chill vibes of this book, I love the romance. This is just a feel good fun book for me and having the author narrate it me was just the icing on the cake.
Frightmares -DNFThis book, this book right here was responsible for my midweek flop. I got about 50-55 pages into this book, got really annoyed with it, and then tossed it to the side. We then sat there for two days staring at each other with contempt. It wasn't until Hoopla Day (the final day of the month where you use all your unused borrows up before you lose them) when I was finally able to ditch this thing. Very early on this book got under my skin when the author decided to use a meme to describe the characters reaction instead of using actual words to describe what was happening. That wasn't a deal breaker for me but man did it irk me. Then we get to the scene that just pushed me over the edge. Our MC works in a haunted house attraction and while on shift he discovers his friends dead body. After freeing himself from the body he takes of running. Alright, weird reaction but alright you're frightened. He ran into the back of the attraction, then out of the building, over a chain link fence at the edge of the parking lot, and kept running for a few blocks, in a costume and barefoot. Alright, weird reaction has now moved into the realm of over reaction but alright. The MC then returns to work, feet bleeding I might add, doesn't say anything to anyone because he is convinced that no one will believe him. He gets back to his station, the body is gone, and he decides to remain quite and just finish his shift. He doesn't tell anyone, doesn't call the cops, nothing. Just finishes his shift and heads home. While on the way home he has another "panic" session where his friend starts to belittle him for male privilege and what not. Not her ghost, just his voice of her in his head. This is where I tossed the book to the side. The writing is bad and the MC is a flipping idiot. First, how did the bad person remove the body from the attraction after our MC took off running? There was groups going through there every few minutes. Regardless, the MC not calling the police has got to be the most stupid thing ever. Fine, don't tell your coworkers but at least call the cops. Who cares if the body is gone. You know it was real and it was your friend. You think the cops can't work the scene and confirm there was a body there in about 30 seconds. We can solve 30 year old cases with modern forensics. Proving a body was there would be easy. Not only that, by not calling the cops you've made it so, so, so, so much easier for the murderer to remove and hide the body. Reference my first point. If the person was able to move the body it wouldn't be very far. Easily still in the building somewhere. Call the cops, have them investigate, find the body, etc, etc, etc. This book just rubbed me in all the wrong ways.
Now for the manga
PTSD Radio Omnibus 2 (Vol. 3-4) -5 StarsNo joking around here, this book scared the crap out of me. I read this late at night before going to bed and I did not want to go to bed after I finished this thing. Turning off the lights that night was not a fun experience. If you know me that is a bit of a surprise. I dabble in a fair bit of horror novels and very little unnerves me but this book just got to me. It was partially the artwork, the way the scares where presented to you as the reader, and the subject matter itself. This book explores urban myths and really leans into the paranoia of living in an urban area. We've all been in a building late at night alone and have that weird feeling of being watched. Or late at night hearing something running around in your place when you are supposed to be alone. That fear of something crawling into your ear/mouth/nose etc when you are sleeping. Put it all together and it just unnerved me like nothing has in a really long time. I had a hard time getting to sleep that night and it lived in my head rent free for several days. I'm now looking forward to the third and final volume but to also doing a reread with all three books so I can unravel all the short stories. Next time though I'll probably do it during the day, when the sun is up, and the shadows are small.
Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition Volume 1 -3 StarsThis is a series that has been on my radar now in a low key way for years and now that Hoopla has gotten into manga I found a way to read it. This reminds me of a 90's cop show like Nash Bridges. Not something super serious but not pure comedy either. Our MC is Rally Valentine, a 19 year old prodigy gunsmith who owns her own gun store. She is also really good at bounty hunting and is the top bounty hunter in Chicago. This series truly leans into the stereotypical male ideas with attractive women, cars, and lots of guns/explosions. Each episode is kind of episodic with a bit of an overarching story as well. Honestly it's not bad and for a popcorn read it's kind of fun. There is just one massive ick factor and that is Rally's partner Minnie May. She is a retired sex worker who is 17 years old. I'll just let that settle in before dropping the next ick. She also has a serious boyfriend, who is 34, who has known her for four years at this point in the story. Yeah, that is just a massive ick whenever it comes up. Which is a bit of a bummer because Minnie May is probably my favorite character in the series. She is the explosives expert who is probably carrying enough explosives on her at any point in time to level a building. She can jury rig a bomb together in a matter in seconds. Take her age out of the equation for a second and I like seeing a character who has such a positive and healthy attitude towards sex. I want to read on but I'm not sure about that ick factor.
Orochi: The Perfect Edition, Vol. 4 -3 StarsThis is the final volume and it wasn't bad. It started out strong with a story called Eyes about a blind girl being a witness to a murder and how all of that would play out. It was probably the best story in the series so far. Then we end with Blood and it was just more of the same from Orochi. It wasn't bad but when I compare it things like PTSD Radio it just kind of comes up short. I'm planning to check out another series from this author called The Drifting Classroom.
One-Punch Man, Vol. 11 -4 Stars
One-Punch Man, Vol. 12 -4 StarsMore One Punch Man and more fun. Not a lot to really say here.
Up next
I've Got My Eyes on YouI started this audiobook today and I do not have a good feeling about. I'm about 30% into the book and I'm not sure where it's going or what kind of mystery it's supposed to be.
For things that are not audiobooks I have a monster stack of manga/comics/novellas/novels from the library I need to work through. I might be back on Monday at the end of the long weekend for another update depending on how things go this weekend.
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and loved it. Gave it 4.5 stars. It was almost 5, but it was a little slow to start.Also finished [bookcover:The Endless War|75..."
I’ve actually put it on pause for now. It’s very very different to say thing she has wrote before. It’s very heavy fantasy in the world building and I am just not in the mood for that kind of book. Along with her ginormous chapter lengths, I feel like I need to wait till I am off work to read it when I will have the time and mental capacity available to focus on it.
Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "I’ve actually put it on pause for now. It’s very very different to say thing she has wrote before. It’s very heavy fantasy in the world building and I am just not in the mood for that kind of book. Along with her ginormous chapter lengths, I feel like I need to wait till I am off work to read it when I will have the time and mental capacity available to focus on it."That sounds like a solid upgrade. I wonder how it turns out. Usually when authors switch to something more mature and solid, it's either hit or total failure. Let's see what that one is :) Hope it's a good one though.
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Finished
Currently reading:
To start:
and
if I get either hold from the library
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Finished [bookcover:Puck Me Secret..."
Oooh I spy some Jennifer Estep. I like that 😆
I just started One of Us is Next today! I also have One of Us is Back from the library, so maybe if our TBRs align and you have it from the library, we can do a buddy read!
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and loved it. Gave it 4.5 stars. It was almost 5, but it was a little slow to start.Also finished
and gave it 3 stars..."You have an ARC of Sword Catcher?? Oooh I'm so jelly! 😆 I'm really curious about this book! I love the Shadowhunters, but I'm excited to read something new from her!
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[bookcover:Conn..."
I read Frightmares earlier this summer! I think my tolerance for idiocy is higher because I finished the book 😂 But I completely agree with everything you said!! That beginning with him running out was SO dumb! I didn't end up hating the book, but let me just say that you're not missing out on much tbh 😂
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I finally finished my re-read of this book and I loved it! I forgot how much I enjoyed this series!
This one I also loved! This was a fantasy thriller, which I didn't know was a thing but omg I love it? I'm not a big high fantasy reader, but there's something about this author's worlds that I just love!
This one was another throwback. I think I read the first book in this series about 10 years ago? I decided to go into this one without re-reading the first one, and things went pretty well! I loved this book too! Another series I forgot how much I loved.
This one though... this was not it. It's a romantic suspense, but those two elements were not balanced well, the romance was not for me, and the characters were terrible. One was a Mary Sue and the other was just an asshole who was not redeemable at all.
This was another romantic suspense, but this one I loved! I love Janette Rallison's romances because they're always super cute and sweet and her characters are always likeable.
And then I read a bunch of Greek mythology graphic novels. Lol. I like this series! Solid retellings.
And then today I finished this one. This is an anthology of short horror stories, and it was fine. Honestly, I was not prepared for how dark these stories were, but overall it was an okay read.And today I started
I'm only a couple of chapters in, but so far so good!
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Also nice update!
Brittany wrote: "My september plan is too ambitious, I do not have the time for all these books but so many things come out that I want to read and I have other books planned too."I love your September TBR! Scalzi, Mercy Thompson, October Daye (which I didn't have a chance to read yet, but very interested). I might also join you on One of Us is Back.
I think I've read nothing by Jennifer Estep yet, but now I'm curious :) Added Only Bad Options to my TBR.
Liliana wrote: "A bit of an update on what I've read in the last week or so: I finally finished my re-read of this book and I loved it! I forgot how much I enjoyed this series!..."That's quite an update! I like the diversity, The Arkwell Academy and Her Ex-Crush Bodyguard look very interesting.
I'm glad you've enjoyed the Greek mythology graphic novels.
A small update on the recent reads and re-reads.
- 4 stars. It was a re-read. When I first read the series, I expected something very different and was disappointed. But now, with proper expectations it kinda grown on me.
- 4 stars. I’ve been reading this author for a while and love his writing style and how he handles quest stories. I missed Siala so much!
- 3-4 stars. What to do when you’re waiting for a book by a particular author? Exactly! Re-read her most loved and hyped series. Although I can’t give it 5 stars (as her other series in the same universe is way better), The Mortal Instruments will always have a place in my heart.
- 3 stars. Well, I was in a mood to read something light, geeky, cute, romantic and naive. This was it, just hit that spot to satisfy the craving.
- 5 stars. It’s a long overdue re-read. When I first read the book, I didn’t even like it, but with proper mindset it works wonderfully. Loved it!
- 5 stars. I missed her romantic stories and just went for one more re-read. Her books create a very nice, cosy and definitely romantic atmosphere, I love how cute, wholesome and addictive the series is.
- 5 stars. “Tomorrow is tomorrow. Over there is over there. And here and now is not a bad place and time to be, especially when so much of the unknown is beautiful.” That quote perfectly describes the story. It is as beautiful, unique and otherworldly as the quote.
- 3 stars. I’ve heard so many good things about the series and wanted to love it, really! And… nothing special. I’ll try the next book at some point, hope it’s better.
- 5 stars. In the best bitter-sweet traditions of the author. I continue wondering, how she consistently writes stories in that touching, disturbing and extremely emotional way. Usually when I read romances I don’t feel much, just a little bit of happiness here and there, but when I read her books, the emotional spectre is so freaking wide and rich.
- 4-5 stars. Oh wow! Breath in, breath out. It was a rush, I’ve read the first book really fast, eager to get to the end and find out what all the fuzz was about. The vibes and the atmosphere are exactly as they were in Netflix’s Knives Out and Glass Onion movies. But the second book was a little boring. It’s so full of events, hints, twists to the point when it’s too much and actually instead of curiosity and excitement gives you a descent portion of boredom.
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I love your Sep..."
Thanks Elena! Yes Only Bad Options was so good! I am loving the second one too I'm just slow with ebooks.
I'm so excited for the new Scalzi.
It's just a month with so many books I want
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Seems like a good amount of rereads! Have to love those comfort returns. <3 Six of Crows!
That was my feeling toward Vicious too. I expected so much more from it.
Time for another weekly update and with Monday being a holiday I have a lot to talk about this week. 
First Frost -4 StarsThis is a short novella at the start of the Mythos Academy series which goes into the event that led to our MC getting enrolled at Mythos Academy. Since I am starting a buddy read of the series and I love the series I figured this was a great place to start, again. Not a lot to really say as the book is only 33 pages. For a first time reader it's a tease of what is to come and for readers who know the series it a sneak peek of what is to come.
Vendetta in Death -5 StarsMore In Death. I'm just kind of in a mood and I want to get caught up with this series. It's more of what I love about this series honestly. If anything this is more of my favorite kind of mystery in this series. It's one where you, as the reader, and Eve both know who the killer is and now it's a race to prove it or to find them before they strike again. It just adds this ticking clock element that ratchets up the stakes a bit.
I've Got My Eyes on You -2 StarsNow we get to the part of the week with the not so good stuff. I snagged this book because I was hung up on a challenge that had a pool on the cover. This book was available now and it was shortish so I figured I'd give it a whirl. Full disclosure, I've heard of Mary Higgins Clark before but I've never read her stuff before. This book was just a clunky confused mess. Every mystery type has it's own flavor to it. Something that when you start reading it you have an idea what to expect. You're never going to pick up a cozy mystery and find a Karin Slaughter level of brutality to it. This book didn't have that tone. Sometimes it read like a police procedural, sometimes it read like a thriller/suspense novel, sometimes it read like a cozy novel. It never really settled into one groove and stayed there. The book had a bloated roster of characters that had various levels of pointlessness. Some characters were there for for obvious reasons, some characters who I had no idea why they had to be there (looking at you Father Frank), and then there were some characters who were only there to spoil the ending. Lets get to that point shall we. This was one of those books where the reader could not only figure out the killer but his motivation as well. Now this is not the end of the world really. Many people who read mysteries are adept at figuring out the clues that the author gives us. The problem here is that is was super obvious who and what was going on that it made that late book attempt at one last misdirection just painful. Sitting through this clumsy attempt at a misdirection was just a slog. You knew this person wasn't the killer, the characters knew it, the killer knew it, everyone knew it. You then had to sit through this clumsy and clunky book working through this "new clue" before "surprising" you with the "twist ending". There was also a clumsy hamfisted attempt at a love triangle that just felt weird and out of place in this novel as well. Listen, I could keep going with my complaints but I think you get the idea by now. Lets move on.
Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries -3 StarsAnother cozy mystery that I've read for a challenge that ended up being just meh. The core mystery was actually good the problems come from everything around it. Basically it's set in a small town in Kentucky where this sleazeball scammed numerous people out of their savings. He gets busted by the FBI and sent to prison. His wife, the MC, is left with nothing but a RV and a RV park in this small town. Later on the guy escapes from prison and is found dead in the park. As a mystery it's solid as there are a long list of potential suspects as the guy had wronged a whole lot of people including the MC. Then the book just slid into all the cozy mystery tropes. Small town, old ladies gossip club, bumbling MC investigating things she had no reason to, etc. This is not so much a problem itself but it didn't help either. Honestly most of my problems with this book can be boiled down to the MC and the narrator. The narrator loved using accents which means everyone spoke with a drawl/twang and it just felt like it slowed everything down while listening to the book. I was also really confused by the MC's accent. As I've mentioned before I'm far from an accent expert so take this all with a grain of salt. When I first heard the MC's voice I immediately thought of The Godfather but whinier. When we started getting more of the drawls and twangs I was confused as sometimes it made me thing of The Godfather and other times it sounded like some attempt at a Southern accent. It was all very distracting. Now we get to the MC. I didn't like her. She was one of those characters that danced on that TSTL line a lot. She was supposed to be this rich socialite from New York who knew nothing about small town living. Some times that came across fine and other times I had to wonder what rock she was living under that she had never heard of such a thing.
Then there were just some general issues. Like the hunky FBI agent showing up with a warrant to search for a murder weapon when they didn't even know if the guy was there let alone dead. Or how the mystery was solved by simply stumbling into the killer instead of actually solving the mystery. The nonstop chant of the MC "making it right" and "making it up to the people her ex-husband screwed over". I'm just glad this is over and I can move on to something else.
In Another World With My Smartphone: Volume 6 -3 StarsMore from this silly series and it's what I expected. This time though we get giant mechs in a fantasy world because why not.
Now for the Comics/Manga
Kroma -4 StarsI saw this in the new acquisitions at the library and was intrigued. This is an Italian comic about a dystopian world. To survive the world they have retreated to the Pale City where no color is allowed because the monsters outside the wall hunted color. It meant that good chunks of this comic were in black and white which made things like blood and or the MC's heterochromia to really pop off the page. It was a really interesting artistic choice. As for the story it was interesting enough. It was a classic tale of learning to question authority figures and the stories we are told. By the end I was just left wanting more. I wanted to know more about the world, it's history, etc. Which is a good thing. It means I'm invested and curious about what the author was doing.
Aquicorn Cove -4 StarsAlright, I'm a fan of Kay O'Neill. I've dabbled in some of their works now and there is just something feel good about their stuff. The stories, the artwork, the message, it just feels good. If you have a young reader looking at getting into reading or are just looking for something cozy to read then this would be a good place to start in my opinion. As for this book it's about a young girl returning to her moms hometown after a storm to help clean up. While there she discovers a magical creature from the ocean which leads her down this path of self discovery for her and her aunt. This book touches on grief, self discovery, and has an ecological message. It's just a sweet feel good story.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 7 -4 StarsThis series is just so much fun to read. Now that the story is moving away from the story I kind of knew from growing up and through osmosis it's really getting interesting. I don't want to get into any spoilers or anything but I am fully invested at this point in time.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1—Phantom Blood, Vol. 2 -4 StarsAnd here is where the series truly gets into the bizarre part of its name with the introduction of Hamon or Ripple of which our MC is naturally gifted in. This is just a fun and silly series full of manly men.
Mapmakers and the Lost Magic -3 StarsA middle grade comic that I found through the library. A young girl is living in this small town that is controlled by an oppressive regime. She dreams of one day being able to leave her village and seeing the outside world. One day she stumbles across a door in a tree which leads to something called the Mapmakers lodge. A group of people who used to map the world before they were defeated by the regime. It's not a bad comic but I would have liked some more world building. Some more history on these different groups, of the world in general, etc. I might be tempted to check out the second book.
Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 25 -3 StarsMeh, more Komi.
As for what is next...
Clockwork DoomsdayThis is my next audiobook and a return to this series after a very long break.
BrokenI'm just mentally preparing myself to start this book which should be sometime today. After that I have some more comics and what not to read as usual.
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I'm ready for the One of Us is Back buddy read whenever you guys are, btw!
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Sounds good Lili. I'll let ya know when my hold comes in! I'm currently listening to something that should be right up your alley,
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I loved this one! Unlike the first book in the series, I actually did guess the big plot twist ahead of time in this one, but it actually didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book. The mystery was intriguing regardless, and I loved that we followed new characters, but also saw a bit of the main four of the last book every once in a while.
I have mixed feelings about this one... I was super into it about until 55% where it suddenly started feeling like I hit the climax of the book but there was still like half the book left. It was at this point that the main character made a very questionable decision that although I understood, I was not fully on board with. As the story went on I warmed up to the idea of it and I started to get back into it, but then the end omg. Another dumb decision! Overall I liked it, but there were some parts of the story that I just did not vibe with.
@Lili I totally get your thoughts about As Good As Dead. Also for me it wasn't good enough, actually I didn't even like it much. It's a bit hard to write the series in the genre in a way so that each book is at the same level of engagement.
And here is my small update, incl recent new finds and comfortable re-reads.
- 5 stars. It’s a 5-star re-read. Wonderful tale inspired by Russian folklore. Atmospheric, cold, gruesome and vivid. The book has its fair share of unexpected twists and surprises, I kinda forgot about some of them and was surprised once again.
- 5 stars. That one was so unexpected in a really good way, I was shocked. I didn’t read the description or any reviews, just picked the book and started reading. Based on the title and the cover I expected a light summer (beach) romantic story. Oh how wrong I was!
- 4 stars. It’s a long wanted series. I have been planing to read it for ages, the mood wasn’t right. And finally I got into the mood, took a book and… it was great, captivating, with the vast well-developed world. Atmospheric sci-fi with great writing style, thought the pacing was a little bit slow for my taste.
Time for that weekly update and I've been a busy little book worm this week.
Broken -4 StarsThe author is finally returning to Grant County and man was this book a tense one. It has been four years since the end of the Grant County series and many things have changed since we, the reader, have been here. Frank is the intern police chief and lets just say that standards have slipped a bit. Lena is of course back and *eye twitches* is of course still a detective. This was a mystery for sure but it was one where the mystery was almost a background thing for the characters to have their moments in the foreground. Will, Sara, and Lena all have some big moments in this book as they work through the case. Overall I finished this book just feeling frustrated but not necessarily in a bad way. It was just that feeling that justice was not served in the end. Which brings me back to Lena. It always amazing to me when an author can do such an amazing job creating a truly despicable character that you still want to see redeem themself. Don't ask me why but there is a part of me that truly wants to see Lena get better, to do better, to be better. I swear that the author knows there are suckers like me out there and they tease it just enough to get my hopes up before crushing them. Lena is like a cockroach. Just when you think she has finally been cornered and will be held accountable she scuttles back into back into the shadows and escapes somehow. Still loving this series and I've already got my next book on hold.
Clockwork Doomsday -3 StarsThis was one of those GraphicAudio audiobooks and this was my second experience with this style of audiobook. My first left me feeling kind of "meh" towards the whole thing but this one worked for me. Yes, there were times where the sound effects don't perfectly match what is being described in the book and yes, a lot of the sound effects are repeated but it all just kind of worked for a popcorn read like this. There was a scene early on where I knew I was digging it. Our MC was escaping Russian smugglers in a graveyard. There was the sound of automatic gunfire, heavy Russian accents, the sound of blows hitting when our MC got into a fight with bad guys, all with this nice metal riff. It just clicked and I found myself standing at the traffic light grinning like an idiot while listening to it. As for story itself, it was another Rogue Angel story. Mysterious artifact from history, exciting adventure, loads of action scenes. Just a great popcorn read.
In Another World With My Smartphone: Volume 7 -3 StarsMuch like the above book this is another "low brow" kind of book but I do enjoy reading these books. There isn't a lot I can really say anymore without getting into spoilers at this point. Our MC is still perfect, our MC still crushes all problems before him, and it's just dumb fun. He is almost at his full harem though in this one. As trashy as this is the one thing I like is that there is none of the "who will the MC choose" romantic trope in this one. He chooses them all, yup, polyamory is normal in this world and he now has something like 7 or 8 fiancees currently. We know exactly how many he will have in total as well as it was foretold in the past.
Hammered -3 StarsI picked this up for a challenge and was initially intrigued by it. Much like the Innkeeper series all the different races of creatures are from different planets. Our MC is half dwarf and half Samoan which is an interesting mix. It was all rather interesting to start with. As the book went along though it just kind of became another urban fantasy. Which isn't a bad thing as I did find it entertaining but at the same time it just didn't have that "it factor" to push it into something cool or super memorable. You can see the start of the expected romance, you have the quirky sidekick characters, you have the big mystery, etc, etc, etc. There is enough there to keep me reading for now but I'm hoping for a bit more.
Perfect World, Vol. 1-3 Stars
Perfect World, Vol. 2-3 StarsMy only manga this week and I have some mixed feelings about this. Initially I was getting the same kind of vibes I got from Run On Your New Legs. Where it was this slice of life that gave you peek into the life of someone with a disability. If the covers didn't make it clear the male lead suffered a spinal cord injury (SCI since I don't want to type it out a hundred times) and is confined to a wheelchair. Then the romance aspect of the series started to emerge and it wasn't bad in the beginning. It tackled the questions of what dating someone with an SCI was like and the challenges faced by both. It kind of started to go a bit sideways though in the second volume for me. Our main male lead has a nurse assistant who comes to his house to help him. She is young and pretty which leads to some jealousy but it's revealed that she is married. Great, a little tension, a moment for growth, etc. Then it just plunged full steam into the drama. Turns out the assistant is actually divorced and in love with the main male lead. Then it introduces another male character from their childhood who has a crush on the female lead. It just felt like the series was adding drama for the sake of having drama. Like the author was trying to shoehorn in drama at every turn and it all started to kind of overshadow that slice of life peek into the life of someone with a disability. It honestly felt like one of those daytime soaps where everyone is trying to sleep with the everyone else's wife/husband/dog/nanny/chauffeur/etc. I'm going to give it a couple more volume to see where things go but if the drama keeps piling on like this I might just toss in the towel.
Now for what is next.
And Then There Were NoneI'm reading this for a challenge but it's not my first time reading this. The first time I read this it still had the title Ten Little Indians. If you know the history of this book then you know that the title has been changed a few times to be less offensive over the years. I'm really looking forward to this one as I've enjoyed it every time I've read it.
For normal books it's going to be a lot of comics and manga for a while. My library got a big shipment of manga in recently and I might have gotten a little trigger happy requesting some copies. I've got a pretty big stack of manga to read plus a few books to work through.
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I'm glad you get it! It was especially disappointing because of how good the other two books were 😔
Time for that weekly update and it has been a busy week of reading. 
The Babel Codex -3 StarsThis was a random novella in the Rogue Angel series and something that did not survive the Harlequin buy out of Gold Eagle. Outside of my library having a copy I can't seem to find this book any where at all. This novella was just another Rogue Angel book but in a more condensed version. Instead of slower moments for "characters" or moments of research it was just action scene, another action scene, a little research, more action, some more action, and final scene. It wasn't a bad book and it was a quick read.
And Then There Were None -5 StarsThis was a fun audiobook this week. This was not my first time reading this book but it has been a long while since my last read through. I remember only the most basic premise of this book. Ten people went to an island and they all died. Well, I remember a bit more then that but that is the basic premise. It's weird how my memory was off in someways though. For what ever reason I thought that both Agatha Christie and the time setting for this book was older. That it was set in the 1800's for some reason. It was a bit of a weird "wait a minute" moment when I realized that the book was set between WWI and WWII. The other thing I noticed a bit more this time is just the tropes. I think part of it comes from the fact that I've read a whole lot more mysteries now and I notice things a lot more now. That being said I can't really knock this book for having certain things due to its age. This was a pioneer and an inspiration for many, and I do mean many, mysteries that exists today. Regardless, I just had fun listening to this and, in an ominous voice in my head, stating "and then there was ______" every time someone died. Yes, I know I'm weird.
Touch of Frost -4 StarsA buddy read of one of my favorite series. Jennifer Estep is never going to be a literary juggernaut pumping out award winning books one after another but she is really, really good at releasing what I call popcorn books. Books that you can just turn your brain off and have a great time reading. This series, the Elemental Assassin series, the Black Blade series. Just fun popcorn reads that you can probably read in a day. For those that have never heard of this series it takes place in the same world as the Elemental Assassin series. It's about a school for descendants of ancient warriors like Spartans, Vikings, Valkyries, etc who are trained to battle the ancient evil of Loki, his Reapers, and the constant threat of Chaos. It's part high school drama, part Percy Jackson, part trashy romance and for what ever reason I love this series.
Now for the manga/comics and there is a lot this week.
Princess Princess Ever After -3 StarsI've been on a Kay O'Neill kick lately reading whatever my library has on hand. I've been loving this author so far but I think this might be their weakest work and probably a real early title for them. Books from Kay tend to aim for the middle kid category but this book felt even younger than then that. It also didn't have that unique world building feel that I'm used to from Kay. This was kind of a bog standard world with princesses who don't want to be princesses which is a theme I've seen in a lot, and I mean a lot of comics for younger kids. The princess who doesn't want to be the girly girl and wants to go out and kick butt and all that. It's not bad message but it has been done to death at this point.
Run on Your New Legs, Vol. 5 (Volume 5) -4 StarsA satisfying conclusion to this short series. It wraps up all the story lines the series had going on and had a feel good ending. The only thing I might have liked to have seen would have been a flash forward scene at the end. Say something, I don't know, 10 years in the future and the MC is getting ready for his first Olympics performance or something. Just a glimpse of where this new thing is going to take him. Overall this series was a fun read and an interesting glimpse into a world I knew next to nothing about.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 8 -4 StarsThis series has been a wild, wild ride. This volume only had two volumes from the main series and a whole lot of side content. First was this weird tale of Bebop and Rocksteady mucking about in the timeline. It was entertaining enough I guess. We then pull in stuff from the TMNT Universe series where we get a bunch of setup for things going on in the TMNT time line that isn't directly related to the turtles. This includes our introduction to the EPF and a glimpse at Null again. Really curious about that honestly. Then this book had a Christmas special from the main story line that was just heart warming. Probably the stand out section for this volume honestly. Overall still loving this and I am still very curious where things are going to go next.
The Boxer, Vol. 3 -4 StarsThe third book in this series and it's kind of spooky how hooked I am on this thing. This book features two main fights, some back story for other characters, and a small glimpse into our MC who still unnerves me. This book had him speaking more then he has at any time so far and lets just say it does not help his image of being a very, very unsettling guy. This book just pulled me in and I devoured this thing in a single sitting. The bad side to that is now I am stuck waiting for the next volume.
One-Punch Man, Vol. 13 -4 Stars
One-Punch Man, Vol. 14 -4 StarsMore One Punch Man. Not a lot to really say.
Let's Buy the Land and Cultivate It in a Different World Vol. 1 -4 Stars
Let's Buy the Land and Cultivate It in a Different World Vol. 2 -4 StarsAlright, hear me out now. I saw this come up in the newly acquired section of the library and I had an itch for some trashy isekai manga. Look at those covers, it just screams trashy right. Turns out that it is trashy but also pretty good. I mean this is pretty much what you would expect. Guy gets summoned to another world, people who summon him thinks he has no amazing skills so they let him just wander off, turns out he has an amazing skill for noncombat stuff. Basically he buys a plot of land by the sea outside the human kingdom and settles down for a quiet life. He then discovers that his skill allows him to be a master of what ever tool he wields allowing him to have the best possible outcome. Grabs a hoe and in one swing perfectly tills an acre of ground kind of thing. He goes fishing, lands a mermaid, mermaid becomes his wife. He befriends the local undead king getting a source of monster minions and resources. His amazing cooking skills gets him a second wife with the local dragon. All while building himself this new settlement for his wives and helpers. This isn't high brow writing or anything but it is entertaining. I think it's pretty clear that I have trashy taste in trashy slice of life isekai and I don't care anymore.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1—Phantom Blood, Vol. 3The final installment in the Phantom Blood story line and man was this good. The over the top fights, the emotional moments, everything just hits right. Now it's time for the next part, Battle Tendency.
Up next
The Red Fox ClanMy next audiobook and I've already started it. So far it has been a whole lot of set up for what is to come.
For stuff that is not audiobooks I still have a giant stack of manga to get through.
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The Babel Codex -3 StarsThis was a random novella in the Rogue Angel seri..."
It's been so long since I read Mythos Academy! It's such a fun series though! Since you like both MA and the Elemental Assassin series, I don't know if this novella is on your radar, but
just came out today and it's a crossover between the two series! It's a dual POV alternating between Gin and Gwen and it was just so much fun!
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I really liked this novella! Pip and her friends attend a murder mystery party and that was just a lot of fun! This one is perfect for Spooky Season.
And then I took a detour from my mystery thrillers to read some ARCs I had. Dark Quasar Rising is a sci-fi that takes place in the Space Janitor universe, and you guys know how much I love all things Space Janitor. But this book follows Vanti, one of the side characters who's a super secret agent! This was so much fun! I love Vanti and am so glad she got her own book!
And last, I read an ARC of Stings and Stones, which is a collection of Elemental Assassin short stories, and another series I love! I have read all of these short stories before, but it was nice to revisit them and have them all in one place. I love Gin! I miss her already 😭😂
Liliana wrote: "Gord wrote: "Time for that weekly update and it has been a busy week of reading. The Babel Codex -3 StarsThis was a random novella in the Rog..."
That did pop up on my radar because of my reread of the Mythos Academy. It felt like perfect timing honestly.
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Nice update Lili! Seems like things you really enjoy :)
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Nice update Lili! Seems like things you really enjoy :)"
Ooh yay! Is this your first time reading Mythos Academy?
I'm in a weird mood this week. Probably linked to all the IRL stuff going on but I'm more interested in reading then updating anything really. Regardless, I'm here to give at least a short update on things.
The Red Fox Clan -4 StarsMy only novel this week. I have some mixed feelings about this one. On just a surface level this is more of what I expect from this series and kind of takes me back to some of the earlier books in this series. This is not a self contained story and is mostly setup for the last bit of the book and the ultimate conclusion in the next novel. There is that fun sense of adventure and Maddie makes for an interesting enough character. There are moments though that just feel... odd though. Will, the MC's teacher is there for a couple chapters in the beginning of the book and then never seen or heard from again. I get it in a way. This is Maddie's book and it's her story but it just feels odd that he is in the same kingdom, working on the same case, and just never heard from again. There were a lot of elements that were set up to big twists or pay offs and they just felt telegraphed. For instance the bad guy is pretty obvious from the moment he appears on the page. There is also the trope of the Skandian trump card. Need emergency troops? Don't worry, there is always a ship load of Skandians lurking somewhere just off the page. I know I sound like I am slagging this book pretty hard but these are fun reads and something I can just turn off my brain and get swept up in the adventure.
Now for everything else
How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? Vol. 1 -3 Stars
How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? Vol. 2 -3 StarsEcchi comedy mixed with workout advice. Meh overall
The Great Cleric (Manga) Vol. 1 - 4 Stars
The Great Cleric (Manga) Vol. 2 -4 StarsAnother isekai manga. This was the one anime I was watching this series. Basically guy dies in our world, gets resurrected in another world, picks the skill to be a healer, story ensues. The one thing I like about this is that the guy is not stupid OP from the beginning. Most of the story so far has been him training to get actually stronger. I like the slower pace and the actual training. I would love to get my hands on the light novels but of course my library doesn't carry them.
Let's Buy the Land and Cultivate It in a Different World Vol. 3 -3 Stars
Let's Buy the Land and Cultivate It in a Different World Vol. 4 -3 StarsAlright this series took a turn I wasn't expecting. I figured that this book was going to take the harem route but nope. Our MC is happily married and there is only the one woman for him. The dragon loli is only around for the food. The sexy demon lady gets married off to someone else. The new characters in the fourth volume don't like humans and have their own world ending goals. Still a dumb isekai but it's fun. Just a chill slice of life in a fantasy world with a stupidly OP MC.
Magic Artisan Dahlia Wilts No More (Manga) Vol. 1 -4 Stars
Magic Artisan Dahlia Wilts No More Vol. 2 -4 Stars
Magic Artisan Dahlia Wilts No More Vol. 3 -4 Stars
Magic Artisan Dahlia Wilts No More (Manga) Vol. 4 -4 StarsThis series devoured my Saturday. This was yet another random snag from the library that came in with the massive influx of manga/comics. How to best describe this. Young woman dies from overwork in our world and is reborn in a new world where magic is a thing. Her father is an accomplished magic artisan which is someone who creates items for daily use that use magic stones or items from monsters. Thing a fan made with a wind and an ice stone. Our young MC grows up with her father and wants to follow in his footsteps. It's a cozy slice of life in a fantasy world and there is just something interesting about it that makes it hard to put down.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1—Phantom Blood, Vol. 3 -4 StarsThe end of the final trilogy and it was a good ride. The crazy over the top fights, the ending twist, it was all just fun and I can't for the next series.
Dinosaur Sanctuary, Vol. 2 -3 StarsI still had fun reading this one but it didn't quite land like the first volume did. Perhaps it was my mood when reading it.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 9 -4 StarsMore turtles. I do like the expanded story lines but it kind of felt a bit cluttered with this one.
Now for what is next
The Best of Edgar Allan Poe I'm reading this to fill a poetry challenge and it seems fitting for the time of the year.
FallenI'm working on this book now as I need to return it to the library soon and it's more Will Trent. After that I still have a massive stack of comics and manga to work my way through.
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Nice update Lili! Seems like things you really enjoy :)"
Ooh yay! Is this your first time reading Mythos Academy?"
Yup it's my first time reading it. It's an ebook so it take me longer, only in chapter 4 right now
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I've been on a wee bit of a tear lately. Just a wee one though.
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Currently reading:
Current Audio:
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Already finished:
Currently reading:
Planning some of these:
I need some more spooky stuff
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Already finished:
Currently reading:
Planning some of these: [bookc..."
Oh, I remember reading the Mythos Academy books years ago. I really enjoyed them.
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Spooky TBR:
YALC Author Books:
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Let me know when you start To Kill a Kingdom, I still need to read it too.
Brittany wrote: "October planAlready finished:
Currently reading:
Planning some of these:"
That's a nice selection, I'm looking forward to read your thoughts on Penni Reid's romance and That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon.
Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "This is what I'm planning on reading in October. I'm planning half spooky books and half authors attending YALC.Spooky TBR:
"Spooky TBR looks so interesting, especially The Dead Romantics one.
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YA Addicted Book Club
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I have the opposite situation, it was the first book I've read by her. Now I really want to start the Blood Heir trilogy, it was on my TBR for a very long time.