Gord's 2024 Stuff

[Gord]

I've seen a few others get their 2024 plans started so I figured I'd jump in. My plan is... to read more. Not really more than I already am, just keep reading like normal. Something about cleaning up some of my old challenges and finishing some series. I really have no plan for 2024.

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

😂 Reading more is always a good goal though. That's all the planning you need tbh lol

[Brittany]

Nothing wrong with continuing to read as a goal!

[✨ Brianna Raquel ✨]

I can't wait to see what you read!

[Gord]

January was not a great month for me. The real world kind of kicked my butt from one end of January to the other. I can happily say that I'm getting back into the saddle again though. As for all the comics/manga, my library (and partially me) decided to bury me alive in a whole bunch of them all at once. Between me ordering a few, probably to many, and a whole bunch of long standing holds finally coming in I've been kept very busy.

[Brittany]

Still a pretty good month Gord. Do you have a favourite?

[Gord]

There were several good ones in January. Bookshops & Bonedust, The Hobbit, Criminal were all great novels. On the manga side there were several good series I was continuing like Laid Back Camp, Sakamoto Days, JoJo, and Dark Gathering.

[Gord]

Another monthly update. You may notice that there are a few comics/manga this month. Basically this is the results of poor decisions and impulse control. My library loves bringing in new things, I find new series, and I can't say no to all the new shiny things.

[✨ Brianna Raquel ✨]

I've heard so much about If You'll Have me. Did you like it? I trust your judgment.

[Gord]

I thought it was pretty good. A nice sweet romance comic.

[Brittany]

Nice month as always Gord. Dont blame you for being sidetracked by new shiny books! Favourite of the month?

[Gord]

Man, it's just so hard to pick a favorite out of them. There are just so many solid books. Looking back at the month and many of my reads were four stars last month.

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

Great update Gord! Yeah, shiny new things are always distracting. Lol. How did your reread of Dragon Ball go? Did you hear about Akira Toriyama's passing this past week? That made me so sad! DBZ was such a big part of my childhood

[Gord]

I've only ever read the original Dragon Ball and it was interesting to go back to it again. As for the passing of Akira Toriyama, I did hear about it. It was kind of hard not to as it was everywhere. It's definitely the loss of a legend. Dargon Ball was another of those weird things that I just never got into as a kid. That and Pokemon dropped about the right time that I just missed out on them. I lived in a small town with only one TV channel that never carried them. Combine them with the fact that I was in high school and I was "to cool for that kiddie stuff". It wasn't until the mid 2000's that I started coming around to some of that stuff. Pokemon just never interested me and I already had the image that DBZ was just 20 episodes of guys screaming at each other before anything would happen. That being said it was kind of hard not knowing about them once I started to get into anime and manga. Both franchises were just always there even if I never got into them.

[Brittany]

Liliana wrote: "Great update Gord! Yeah, shiny new things are always distracting. Lol. How did your reread of Dragon Ball go? Did you hear about Akira Toriyama's passing this past week? That made me so sad! DBZ wa..."

Yes so sad!! DBZ was a big thing in my childhood too

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

That makes sense. Pokemon is one I was never super into either. I only watched it because my younger brother did. I think that one was just a little past my time. And with DBZ it's funny because I remember being really young, maybe like 9 or so, and that was my perception of DBZ as well! I have this very clear image in my head of Piccolo and maybe Goku in a very dusty landscape and I remember being like, "This is boring. This is nothing but yelling and fighting." Lol. So it definitely took me a while to actually get into it.

[Gord]

Another month and some more books. I'm just not reading as much this year and I think it comes down to splitting my attention amongst my other hobbies. I'm playing games again, I'm watching movies and TV stuff from the library as well.

[Brittany]

Nothing wrong with paying attention to other hobbies! You still read lots too. Very comic/manga heavy month! Best of the month?

[Gord]

Man, that is a hard one as I read so many good books currently, for the most part. Ignoring manga, unless it's new here are my thoughts.

Hell Divers - This is that level of male action adventure novel I've been seeking for years. It might be a literary giant but it is super entertaining.

The Saints Magic Power is Omnipotent - First book in the light novel series and just a feel good romance/isekai kind of story.

Kamagawa Food Detectives - A cozy feel good "mystery" series with a ton of great food descriptions and emotional moments.

Role Playing - Here is my ultimate pitch. It's a pure romance novel that I liked. The characters, the romance, just everything about this book was fun and feel good.

Fire on High - A book well outside of what I normally read that hooked me in. It's hard to explain but this is just one of those books that reminds me why I love to read.

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat - A new manga series that is a cozy slice of life about food with a budding yuri romance.

Ghost Roast - I'm posting my thoughts about this one today but this is the perfect example of a feel good comic.

Writing through this I noticed that I seem to like a lot of feel good and cozy books. Not a socking revelation but it's just kind of weird to see it laid out so plainly like that.

[Brittany]

Yeah it does seem to be a heavily cozy kind of month for you Gord!

[Gord]

I think this is just going to be a year of manga and comics. This was not planned but I'm just reading a ton of that material. I have other things spread throughout but it's primarily that. I just have so many great series on the go currently and so many great things to read.

[Brittany]

Nothing wrong with a manga/comics filled year!

[Gord]

Another average month for this year.

[Brittany]

All the manga! Favourite book of the month?

[Gord]

Yeah, I've been on a tiny, wee little, manga bender this year. It has only lasted five months so far.

As for a favorite it's kind of hard to pick as there is a lot of good reading there. I'm probably going to go with XXXholic though.

[Brittany]

Nothing wrong with a manga bender! Holic is a good choice I remember reading the first couple as a teen

[Gord]

Another month and even more manga.

[Brittany]

So much manga!!!

[Gord]

Another month and some more stuff.

[Brittany]

Anything special this past month?

[Gord]

On the novel side of things Before the Coffee gets Cold was an amazing book and Now You See Me was a solid book. On the manga/comic side of things, outside of the usual stuff, The New Girl was a great comic. I'm also loving I Married my Female Friend and Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord. I'm enjoying this subgenre (at least I think it's a subgenre) of yuri. The characters are not high school students and everything has this chill slice of life vibe to it. There might be some slight drama and the romance is very low key (to the point where the line between friends and romance is kind of blurry) but it's just sweet and chill.

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

How was Predator vs Wolverine? Those sorts of crossover comics always seem really fun

[Gord]

It was pretty much what you expect. It was Wolverine battling one of the Predator aliens over the years. You get to see the major Wolverine points in time, Weapon X, 1800's, Vietnam, Japan, WWII, etc. It was the ongoing clash that evolved over the years culminating in to one final battle in present day. It was popcorn reading, fun but nothing really memorable either.

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

Oh that's interesting. I thought it would be more of a one-and-done battle. But yeah, those types of comics definitely have "popcorn reading" all over them! Lol.

[Brittany]

Gord wrote: "On the novel side of things Before the Coffee gets Cold was an amazing book and Now You See Me was a solid book. On the manga/comic side of things, outside of the usual stuff, The New Girl was a gr..."

Chill slice of life is definitely nice to read sometimes! I appreciate when it isn't teens for a change too

[✨ Brianna Raquel ✨]

Gord wrote: "On the manga/comic side of things, outside of the usual stuff, The New Girl was a great comic. I'm also loving I Married my Female Friend and Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord."

Ooh, some more manga to add to my tbr! You introduced me to Shio Usui and I'm a huge fan!

[Gord]

Shio Usui is a perfect example for the types of book I was talking about. I Married my Female Friend and Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon are just great series that are sweet and simple.

Also glad to see that my mad readings influences others.

[Gord]

My slowest reading month all year and I don't know why. Well, alright, I spent most of my time off listening to LotR. This was also, I think, the most novels I've read in a month all year.

[Brittany]

Slowest number wise but probably more words!
Which was your fave?

[Gord]

That is such a hard question as there are just so many good ones. I'd probably pick In Death and LotR for me. Especially LotR, there was just so many things about the ending that I had forgot and it just really took the whole thing to a whole new level.

[✨ Brianna Raquel ✨]

Gord wrote: "My slowest reading month all year and I don't know why. Well, alright, I spent most of my time off listening to LotR. This was also, I think, the most novels I've read in a month all year.

[bookco..."

I listened to LoTR in August too! I've always loved the movies and wanted to listen to the books for a change. How did you like it?

[Gord]

I loved my read through of the books on audio. It was such a great experience

[Gord]

Another month, another pile of books

[Brittany]

Nice Gord, whats your favourite?

[Gord]

I kind of had a month where I read a lot

[Brittany]

You really did. What are the standouts?

[Gord]

Hmmmm for new stuff I'd say Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You and Can't Spell Treason Without Tea.

[Gord]

Another month and some more books. That weird blend of genres and mediums that make a Gord month of reading.

[Brittany]

Yup looks like a Gord month to me. Favourite?

[Gord]

Setting aside the usual things I would have to go with Dwellings. Yup, a horror anthology was my favorite book of the month. It was just a well written anthology and the entire package was this giant nostalgic experience.