YA Addicted Book Club discussion
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What are you reading 2024
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Time for that weekly update and it has been an interesting week of reading. I finished my first 100 books of the year this week. I've also decided to embrace the fact that this is going to be a year heavy on manga and comics. I wasn't planning this but the way things are coming in from the library and with all the interesting series I have on the go currently I'm just leaning into things. Maybe that will peter out a bit later this year, who knows. Any way, on to the books. 
Borrower of the Night -3 StarsI snagged this audiobook for a challenge and I was a bit excited as this was from the same author who wrote the Amelia Peabody series which I enjoy. This book just didn't click with me and I think there are a few different reasons for that. Basically this book is about two historians who find clues to a previously unknown statue from the 1500's and place a wager as to who kind find it first. There are elements of a cozy mystery to it but it also has elements of a treasure hunt. That leads me to my first issue of sorts. This book just felt dated. I can't sit here and tell you what elements of this story felt dated or anything but this just felt like a book I would have read in my teens. The main characters are supposed to be historians and while they certainly had the smarts there was a lot of times where they just didn't act like it. For instance suggesting that they pop the jewels out of a 400 year old artifact because you could get more money for them. Or just smashing their way into a 400 year old crypt with common word working tools. This felt more like Indiana Jones style of archeology. Speaking of the characters I was also not a massive fan of the MC, Vicky. She was constantly comparing herself to more "slim and attractive" women while calling herself a cow. Then there was her bragging about her intelligence being higher then everyone else. She's not a horrible character but she is abrasive and not someone I'd actively root for. Overall it was an alright book and I might keep this series in my back pocket for other challenges as there is some globe trotting.
Now for the manga/comics
The Curie Society -4 Stars
The Curie Society: Eris Eternal -4 StarsThe second book just recently came out so I figured a reread of the first book was called for. This series is the weird mixture of promoting women in science and secret agents. Yes, you read that correctly. The Curie Society was originally created by Marie Curie to help women get a foothold and to study science. Over time that society has continued that endeavor while stopping people from abusing science for nefarious goals. It's this interesting blend of different ideas combined with some likeable MC's and you have this comic series that just works for me.
One Piece, Volume 1: Romance Dawn -4 StarsI mentioned last week that I was starting a slow read through of Case Closed. This is another series that I am going to be taking the same approach to and oddly enough about he same length as Case Closed. This is far from my first foray with this series as I've started reading the manga two or three times and the anime at least a couple of times. I've basically got up to the time skip a few times and stopped there. I'm now wanting to push past that point so expect a whole of updates in the future on One Piece. As for this book it's fun to revisit this first book. Seeing the character introductions, seeing some very early clues for later things, and just starting this adventure once again.
I Got Caught Up In a Hero Summons, but the Other World was at Peace! Vol. 5 -3 Stars
I Got Caught Up In a Hero Summons, but the Other World was at Peace! Vol. 6 -3 StarsSome more from this series and some more build up of this mysterious force behind things. Not a lot to really say with this one as it kind of feels like more of what I've read so far but not in a bad way.
SAKAMOTO DAYS 11 -4 StarsMore amazing action from this series. Again, not a lot to really say that I haven't already said before. The one thing I will reiterate though is I would really love to see this series animated. There are just some really amazing and creative fight scenes in this series and in the hands of the right animation studio it would be amazing.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 14 -4 Stars At long last I finally got my hands on the next volume of this series and I was a little hesitant heading into this one. Up to this point the series was in the hands of the original creator, Kevin Eastman, and with this one he was stepping back. The reigns was handed over to a new person and I wasn't sure where things were going to go. After reading this volume I am very intrigued to see what comes next. This was a giant step back from all the action and over the top story lines and more of a subtle exploration into the characters. After the events of the last book the Turtles were split up and out of the spotlight. This was about them coming back together, finding their bonds, and exploring their new place in a new social setting. It allowed for a new side of the Turtles to be explored and I'm on board with that.
As for what is next it's going to much like last week. I have no real idea at this point in time. I want to start working on some stalled challenges and see if I can't get them finished up. As for physical books my library has dumped nine omnibus editions of manga on me plus several other books so I am a very busy guy trying to get through all that.
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DNF'd
at 25%. I was enjoying it at the start but it just became super slow. I might go back to it at some point but for an urban fantasy book I felt like it was taking too long to get to the fantasy elements. I'm 50% through
on audioCurrently about 50% through a re-read of
I just have the final 2 novellas left. This is my least favourite of the whole series but I am enjoying them a bit more this time around.
Liliana wrote: "A couple of books I've read recently:
This was so much fun! I just love these cozy sci-fi mysteries. And this one had dinosaurs! Lol."I agree with you on Rule of Wolves, I dropped it because of that monk or so-called saint, or whatever. Probably I'll give a book one more try, because it's good, but I just couldn't stand him. There is always something really wrong with monks/saints/divines as villains and not attractive, for me they either should be like Lucifer or just another type of villain.
A small update this time :)
4 stars. Though this is sci-fi, it feels more like fantasy. I think it’s coming from the combination of sci-fi and classics, with the author's exquisite writing style. And I love it. As usual, the character names are so unique and add so much to the story itself. The world is well-crafted, interesting, but not so vast to the point when it becomes overwhelming. Not my favorite series by the author, but great enough.
3 stars. I guess I’m into cozy mysteries… again! This one in particular was not the best, but I enjoyed it. The setting is cozy indeed: a small island, a bookshop and a lighthouse. Writing style is ok. I expected the book to be pretty bad, but was pleasantly surprised.
3 stars. The whole book is either so cliche, or I just read too many asian fantasy books. The story is not particularly bad, but it’s too linear and simple, there are no twists and surprises. There is also no world-building, it just throws you into the world, where ancient Chinese strategists know how to play online games… Very weird book and I’m not going to continue the series.
1 star. This book was recommended by a person I know and… never again! I read it in the original (Ru) language, desperately wanted to see what exactly was awesome about the book, almost finished and DNFed when there were about 60 pages left. Hear me out, the plot and the idea were not bad at all, though that tone! The writing style is so bad and all the dialogs are handled in a disgustingly highly-praised manner to the point when they sound so unnatural and cliche. Each time the characters communicated to each other, I winced.
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@Brittany Yeah, especially when they expect you to like it. It's fine if you don't particularly loved the recommended book, but in my case... I almost hated it. 😅
This will be a short one this week as I haven't finished a couple things I was working on. 
The Innkeeper Chronicles: Clean Sweep The Graphic Novel -3 StarsIf you have been following my ramblings for long enough you know that I love The Innkeeper series. The world building is just some of the most unique and interesting I've seen in a while. I knew that there was a webcomic being created for this series but with everything I have to read it just fell off the radar. While browsing the new comics at the library I saw the physical copy and decided to give it a whirl. Long story short, it was alright. I've tried dabbling in comics based on novels before (Mercy Thompson, Harry Dresden) and they all just come up a little short me. They just don't feel like they have the same depth as the source material and the art just never matches what I've already pictured in my head already. This comic basically had all those same issues. No disrespect to the art but I could instantly tell that this had been a webcomic. As I've said before I'm not that smart with art but I've just seen this style so many times in so many other webcomics. I just wasn't blown away by it and it just didn't match what I had already created for this series. For instance all the men seemed small. They were muscled sure but I seem to remember the book describing them as linebackers with armor on. I just pictured guys a lot more square and bulky. There was also the big Beast reveal and I was confused. It was nothing like I had picture. Then we get to the story. It's not horrible because it's pulling from a great source but it felt like a summary of important scenes then the actual story. Then there is also the biggest sin in my eyes. For a comic based on the first book it didn't actually give me the first book. It ended before the novel did and the rest is on Tapas behind a paywall which just frustrates me. I didn't hate this book but it was frustrating. The biggest thing it achieved was that it made me want to do another reread of the series.
XXXHolic, Omnibus 1 -5 Stars
xxxHOLiC Omnibus 2 -5 StarsNow that I have the fourth volume I'm doing a massive reread to refresh my old rusty memory and because I love this series. I don't know what to say that I haven't said before. I love the weird art style, I love the supernatural/paranormal elements, I like a certain character called Yuuko. There will be more of this series next week as I'm trying to finish the first four books by next weekend.
That's it. Like I said it's not a lot this week but here is what I am working on.
Mister MondayThis is my current audiobook and I am dragging myself through it to complete a challenge or two. I don't think it's horrid but I just don't really care. I'm not engaged in the book, I'm not engaged in the plot, the characters, etc. I'm just trudging for the end. More thoughts to follow.
Bad as I Wanna BeThis is me not just stepping out of my comfort zone, this is me leaping out of it. Yup, a sports biography. Why? I saw it a the library, remembered seeing this guy in movies as a teen, remembered him being chaotic, so I decided to check it out. I'm fourish chapters in and it's a lot of sports talk which is not really my thing but alright. It definitely feels like he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder though.
Outside of that I have two more omnibus volumes of XXXHolic that I need to get done.
Joanne wrote: "Hi, everyone! I'm Joanne. After a few years of not reading anything, Partials by Dan Wells got me back into YA and I've decided to re-read my old favorites, so naturally I made a GR to find like mi..."Hey Joanne, it's nice to meet you! Welcome and hope you find lots of interesting books 😊
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Welcome!! Nice to meet ya. What are some of your old faves?
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And ohhh Kingdom of Ash is fantastic.
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This was so much fun! I just love these cozy sci-fi mysteries. And this one had dinosaurs! Lol."I agr..."
For me it wasn't even the Monk himself, it's what happened with him at the end of the first book and his role in the second book. But I totally get where you're coming from. It was still a solid series, but yeah, not my favorite.
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Welcome Joanne! I'm looking forward to seeing what you re-read.
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I forgot how intense this book was 😭 Poor Percy and Annabeth. I loved the book though. It was traumatic but it was fun. Lol. I have one more book left in my re-read of this series which makes me kinda sad.
this one was an okay sci-fi horror. It wasn't as scary as I was hoping, but it was still pretty tense which I appreciated.
this was another okay Fear Street book. The mystery was fine, the characters were okay, but I loved the kills 😆 I live for the creepy descriptions in these books. Lol.And I'm currently craving some sci-fi horror so I'll be starting
. Though this one is more of a thriller, I believe. Close enough though. Lol.
Just finished
, it took me a bit to get into, but I did end up really enjoying it. I want to go and seek out more of Janie Chang's books now because despite reading the book initially because I love Kate Quinn's work, Suling's chapters ended up being the more compelling for me. I did enjoy reading something by Kate Quinn set outside WWII and it has me more excited for The Briar Club later this year and I very much loved the characters and setting, the plot was just a little slow to build, I wish we had got to the earthquake part sooner because that was the most compelling section for me.My next audiobook is
which I started yesterday and I'm already very intrigued by, it has a great premise. The two audiobook narrators are sounding very similar though and it is confusing me!
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and I'm done. It was just so boring! The amount of exposition dump that went off into tangents irrelevant to the plot almost put me to sleep. My first DNF of the year.So I'm gonna be starting
instead because I know I'm gonna love that one, and I may also start
which is due at the library pretty soon here.
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, it took me a bit to get into, but I did end up really enjoying it. I want to go and seek out more of Janie Chang's books now because despite re..."You already know I totally agree with you on Phoenix Crown.
Im curious what you end up thinking about How to Solve a Murder. I was super intrigued by it but heard some not so great things so far so hoping you enjoy it more and repeak my interest!
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and I'm done. It was just so boring! The amount of exposition dump that went off into tangents irrelevant to the plot almost put me to sleep..."Too bad about Dead Space it sounded interesting. I havent read Parasite still which is surprising with how much I love the author. Hope its amazing!
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I really liked this, great start to a series. Good balance of fantasy and pirates!
strong debut! Mystery with a female doctor in the 1870s as the MC. I hope the author decides to make this a series as I want more.
meh. It was fine but nothing specialIm already at 68 books for the year which is insane for me. Wonder if I can hit 100 by the halfway point of the year... hmmm.
That Murder by Degrees sounds interesting.
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Brittany wrote: "Jo wrote: "Just finished , it took me a bit to get into, but I did end up really enjoying it. I want to go and seek out more of Janie Chang's books now because..."I'm enjoying it thus far, but I'm only like seven or so chapters in so we've not got into the real meat of the story yet. The similarity in the two audiobook narrators is still confusing me!
Last week I didn't have a whole lot to talk about. This week I've made up for last time and I have a whole lot to talk about.
Mister Monday -2 StarsI needed a challenge book with a day of the week in the title and I found this. I've read a Garth Nix book before and I know he is a well regarded author so I figured I'd be in safe hands. Well, that was not the case. I can't really say anything bad about this book but man was it boring. The prologue started out really interesting on the surface of a dying star at the end of time with automaton guards. Then the story started and I essentially clocked out for the rest of the book. I don't really know why but nothing about the story ever hooked me in. It was like a big bowl of plain oatmeal. There is nothing wrong with it but it's far from exciting. That's why it took me so long to get through this one.
Bad as I Wanna Be -3 StarsThis book is not something I would normally read and I was rather surprised that I liked it all. I'm not the biggest fans of nonfiction let alone autobiographies and I'm definitely not a sports fan. I saw this book pop up in my libraries queue of new books coming in and I remembered Rodman from when I was teen and was curious. Now this is the first of his biographies and only covers his time up until he joined the Bulls. After reading this I realized that there is a lot more to Rodman then I ever knew. There are times in this book where he really does come off as a bitter man who feels the world is working against him but at the same time he presents some very valid points and criticisms about the NBA. The other big thing I was surprised about was his views on masculinity. This book came out in 1996 and he really challenged the idea of masculinity. He wasn't afraid to get his nails painted, or to wear women's clothing. Not for any fetish reasons but just because he wanted to. This kind of questioning of masculinity was something that really started happening in a more mainstream way until several years later. Now this book did have it's issues from a technical perspective. The first few chapters were a bit repetitive and rambling. For no real reason certain sentences would be in bold and in larger text then other sentences. Overall though it was an interesting read and rather an unexpected one as well.
The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent (Light Novel) Vol. 2 -4 StarsAnother book in this series and I don't really have a whole lot to say about this one that I haven't said before. In this one Sei figures out how to unlock her powers as well as some new alchemical techniques. Just a fun read and I can't wait for the next one.
The Scourge Between Stars -3 StarsThis was a quick little audiobook from my TBR to fill a challenge and it was fun. It's about a starship full of colonist who discover they have "guests" on board. Not very friendly guests either. Basically this was Alien and I don't really care. It was a simple fun read that I could turn my brain off and enjoy. If you're looking for a simple space horror this isn't a bad choice.
Now for the manga
xxxHOLiC Omnibus 3 -5 Stars
xxxHOLiC Omnibus 4 -5 starsYeah....... I've been in a mood lately and have been devouring these books. Doesn't help that I couldn't renew the fourth one as there was a queue waiting for these books. I've come to the realization while reading the fourth book that my memories of this series are from the anime and the early volumes of the manga. The fourth volume was basically new content and I can see why it was never in the anime. This series is closely tied with Tsubasa Reservoir and the fourth volume had a character from Tsubasa for a good chunk of it. The latter half of the fourth volume really got existential and had a real sad feel to it. I am super curious about where things are going next. To the point that I've already requested the last three books in the series. I am also getting really curious about Tsubasa Reservoir as well.
A Cat from Our World and the Forgotten Witch Vol. 1 -5 StarsThis was another random snag from the library as I thought it looked cute. I was not prepared for this book and the emotional ride that it took me on. Yes, this is another isekai but it feels very different from everything I've ever read in the genre. Basically we have an old lady living out the forest by herself who summons a "beast". The creature that comes through is a cat from our world that died. The cat though is not a normal cat size though. For whatever reason this cat came through the portal the size of a bus which is awesome. All the normal antics of a cat in a bus sized package. Now for the emotional stuff. Both characters have a lot of unresolved pain in their past and while they don't know it now they are what the other needs to help heal I think. It also set up a lot of plot points that have made me very curious about things. Of course this is a brand new series and I'm already caught up and waiting for the next book.
What am I reading next?
Trailer Park TricksterThis is the next audiobook on the docket. It's part of a buddy read and I'm interested to see where it will go.
For physical books I have some Cardcaptor Sakura, some Frieren, and some Dragonball lined up for this week.
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Finished
on audio. Gave it 4 stars. I really enjoyed this one.Also finished
re-read. Honestly I'll never be a fan of these prequel novellas. They're just so boring. I'm glad it's over.Currently listening to:
- this one is for my book club that is next week. Hoping that I can finish it before the meeting.Also reading
and I am loving it so far.
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How is Legendborn? I keep meaning to start it...
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and I'm done. It was just so boring! The amount of exposition dump that went off into tangents irrelevant to the plot almost..."I will probably finish it either today or tomorrow but so far I am really enjoying it! It's pretty horrifying and I love it 😆
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I really liked this, great start to a series. Good balance of fantasy and pirates! ..."68!? That's so good! I'm confident you can get to 100 by the halfway mark of the year! You've still got a little way to go!
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Mister Monday -2 StarsI ..."
I felt the same way about The Scourge Between Stars. I read it a little while ago and I thought it was a fine spooky sci-fi. Nothing special. I do remember that I liked the relationship between the MC and the droid. I thought that was interesting.
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I've read a lot of shorter books and manga this year so currently sitting at 73 books this year. I think I can manage the 100 mark by halfway at this rate too!
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How is Legendborn? I keep meaning to start it..."
It's okay so far. Very info dumpy at the moment.
A lighter week for me and I waited until later than normal because there was a book that I wanted to finish before posting. I wanted to share my thoughts right away and not sit on this for a week. 
Cardcaptor Sakura, Book 2 -4 StarsMore of my reread of this series and I'm really enjoying my time working through these. This was the big wrap up of the initial collection of cards and hints and what is to come next. It was full of all sorts of big moments and emotional reveals. Now for the hard part, finding the next book. The library has been rather spotty on these and I've been really lucky getting the first two.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 10 -4 StarsWhy oh why was it this volume that I had to get caught up on series with. Don't get me wrong, this volume was solid and I loved every second of it. My problem is that I now have to wait until September for the next volume to be published, I then have to wait for the library to get a copy, and then I have to wait for the 15 people ahead of me to finish with it. With the way this volume ended making anyone wait that amount of time is cruel and unusual. About the book itself, this was the end of the bad guys back story, the start of the big fight, and our MC figuring out how to win the fight. It ends with our MC basically standing up, taking off her gloves, and stating she knows all the weaknesses of the bad guy but now I have to wait four months to see it actually happen.
Dragon Ball (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 3: Includes vols. 7, 8 & 9 -4 StarsI forgot how weird and goofy the original series was. This starts with Goku finishing off the Red Ribbon Army and then we get him tracking down the last Dragon Ball. This ends up with him fighting a vampire, an invisible man, a mummy, a devil, and then a ghost. I don't remember that weirdness at all but it was fun. Oh and something I missed the first time because I had no idea at the time. There is an entire section dedicated to the author's other popular work, Dr. Slump. There is an entire arc where Goku is in Penguin Village interacting with all these characters from a different series. That was also a bit wild.
Berserk Deluxe Edition Volume 14 -5 StarsThis is the book I wanted to finish before I posted my weekly thoughts. This is the final collection of Miura's work who passed in 2021. I have been eagerly looking forward to this volume since it was all new material for me but I was filled with a sense of sadness for what it represented. If you've been following my thoughts over the last few years you will know that I have a long history with this series. For those that are new, I've been reading this series since the early 2000's and have reread it many times. The book itself was great as I've come to expect and it had some massive moments. One moment was something fans have been waiting 20+ years for. Then there was the ending that was such a twist that I haven't even begun to unpack all that it implies. The artwork was stunning as usual and really highlights Miura's skill.
I think this marks the end of my latest reread of the Berserk series unless I want to hit the fan translations again but I think this marks a good spot to take a break. I don't know when I will be back but like so many times before I do know I will be back at some point in time.
Now, what is next.
Trailer Park TricksterI'm half way through this book so far and it's pretty good. I'm really enjoying the exploration of Adam's family and just how realistic the family feels.
As for physical books I have even more manga that I am working through this week as usual.
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Ive never read Dragon Ball, but what?! Goku fighting a vampire, an invisible man, a mummy, a devil, and then a ghost?? That sounds all kinds of entertaininly bizarre.
I forgot how much it really leaned into the comedy and the absurd.
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I really enjoyed this book! Mira Grant just does horror so well, and this one was pretty horrifying. I also always really enjoy all the science. Who knows how accurate it is, but it makes sense for the story and that's all that matters. Lol.
I finished my re-read 😭 This series was so fun but so stressful. Lol.
And having finished my re-read, I finally got a start on the next series! I have not read this series before so I was excited to dive into it, and overall, I really enjoyed it! The Heroes of Olympus felt a lot more YA (though technically I think it's still MG), but this book was without a doubt back in MG territory. It was ridiculous and fun and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series... for the most part. A character death was spoiled for me a while ago and I am not happy about that or looking forward to reading about it 😭Idk what I'm reading next. I need to consult my TBR. Lol.
Tim for that weekly wrap up once again and where does the time go?
Trailer Park Trickster -3 StarsThe second book in this trilogy and much like the first book it is another solid three star book. This book picks up almost immediately after the end of the first book with Adam rushing home to Guthrie. What we get in this book is a lot more info on Adam's family and growth with his immediate family. This was probably the best part of book in my opinion. After what came to light in the first book and the events in this book we see a lot of change in Bobbie and we see more sides to their mom. We get to see Sue's side of the family as well and just the messy history of the Binder family. On top of this we get the B plot which is Vic making his way to Adam in Guthrie with Argent. This detours into a lot of Elf politics and power plays which to some extent involves Adam just not directly at this point. I would have liked to have seen more Vic and Adam moments but I also understand that this was the book for Adam to work through his issues with his family and to address his own internal issues. The only other minor criticism I have is that there were moments towards the end where it felt like it dragged a wee bit. Nothing horrible or even all that extended but there were a couple moments that I just wanted the story to get moving again.
Now for the manga/comics
RWBY Official Manga Anthology Vol. 1: Red Like Roses -3 Stars
RWBY -3 StarsThese two are from the same franchise but they are not really connected though. I'm going to lump them together because I have essentially the same thing to say about the both of them. The first one is a collection of random short stories from the world of RWBY all told and illustrated by different talents. The second one is essentially a condensed back story for each of the MC's. Both of these weren't bad but I would not recommend these to anyone who has not watched the show. I've only watched the first season and maybe part of the second season and I found myself lost a lot while reading these. One thing it did achieve is that it made me want to go and watch the show. Not a lot to really say about this one. If you know the show you might like this, if you don't know the show I'd recommend you pass.
Spy x Family, Vol. 4 -4 Stars After several months I am finally back to this series and man did it feel great to be back. This series is just so much fun to read. In this one Anya get a dog and the whole events are totally on brand for the series. There are spy shenanigans going on, the dog is more than it appears, Anya is being a cute gremlin, Yor is being fierce as usual. I'm also glad that the crazy wait times are over after this book. I already have book 5 from the library and I'm looking forward to it.
Kaiju Girl Caramelise Vol. 7 -4 StarsAnother series I haven't touched in a hot moment or two. That was because I was caught up and waiting for the next book to be published. It took me a few seconds to figure out what had last happened in this series but it didn't take long and then I was off and running. This book focuses less on the cute romance of the series and more on the backstory of the MC and just what she is. There was some interesting reveals with this one that really makes me wonder just how many more Kaiju there are in the world. This was just a fun popcorn read and something I needed this week.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 3—Stardust Crusaders, Vol. 4 -4 StarsYet another book that was held in limbo because of a queue at the library. This was another fun series to get back to. The weird fights continue, the weird story continues, and we are still slowly making our way to Egypt and Dio. Just another fun read this week.
Now, what is next next?
Murder in G MajorAnother cozy mystery for another challenge or challenges specifically. I'm halfway through this book and it's alright. It's a cozy mystery with a music and paranormal theme. If you've ever read a cozy mystery then you know what you are getting yourself into.
As for the manga side of things I'm reading some more Made in Abyss and then focusing on cleaning up the last three volumes of XXXholic.
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I really enjoyed this book! Mira Grant just does horror so well, and this one was pretty horrifying. I also always really enjoy all the science. Who k..."Nice Lili! And yay for starting Apollo.
I think Seanan McGuire keeps her science pretty realistic in all her books. Things that are possible anyway. And I agree always so well explained and makes sense in the context of the story.
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I disliked RWBY in manga form. The anime is entertaining enough, Ive watched 2ish seasons I think.
You just read such a good Spy X Family! Yay Bond!!
The first thing, and the biggest thing, that hooked me into RWBY is the weapon of the main character. It's a giant scythe and a sniper rifle. That thing just oozes cool.
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I don't have a lot to talk about this week again. This has been just one of those weeks where IRL was a bit hectic. I figured I'd get this posted before I settled in for some reading time.
Murder in G Major -3 StarsThis was a solid three star cozy mystery with a paranormal twist. The major flavor of this one was music and I've seen some criticism of the music aspect of things but I don't know enough about it to really say. Young women moves to small town Ireland after things go sideways in her career. She lands a job at the local school as a music teacher and moves into a house that just so happens to have a ghost. That ghost needs help solving a murder mystery, start the usual cozy shenanigans. Like I said this was a solid three star mystery. It didn't do anything really groundbreaking with the formula one would expect but it wasn't boring. The characters were interesting, the mystery was interesting, it was just a great little popcorn book.
Now for the manga
Before I get into the manga I finished this week I want to touch on a series I DNF'd this week. I was reading through Made in Abyss this year and I've been struggling lately with the series. It's a few different factors that I'll get into but after last weeks post I was going to finish up the next book that I was working on and I realized that I just had no interest in reading anymore in the series. Maybe it gets better in a couple books, maybe it doesn't, I just don't really care anymore. For the last few issues I've been struggling with the art and the story. Basically the story gets to a point in the dive where no one can ever return from and they had pushed through this barrier. After pushing through this barrier they had found a city and this is where things really went off the rails for me. The city speaks their own language of which little is actually translated for the reader so a good chunk of things are just gibberish. The city and its inhabitants are all deformed and twisted which is kind of interesting but with the muddled art style it really made it hard to understand just what you were looking at. There was another art decision that I'm not going to get into here. It was a decision that just didn't sit right with me though. All of these things just led to me losing interest. It's a bummer because I really do like the concept of the story and was curious about mysteries the story had in store for me but now I just don't care anymore.
xxxHOLiC Omnibus 5 -5 StarsOriginally my plan was to marathon the last three books in this series and I was on track to do just that until I read this one. Don't get me wrong, the story and everything in the book was great, hence the five star rating. I won't get into spoilers to much but there was a death in this volume and it hit me kind of hard. Combine that with the stuff going on in my life and it was just a bit to much emotionally for me at this moment. I'll be back to the last two books later (in the next couple weeks honestly) but for right now I just needed something not so emotionally damaging. Especially as I know that the next book will be dealing with the fallout of this characters passing and I need some time to brace myself for that.
Up next
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneThis is my next audiobook and it showed up at some perfect timing. I just finished the above audiobook and was wondering what to read next when I happened to check my library account and this had finally shown up. The version I have is narrated by Jim Dale and so far it has been a great experience.
On the physical side of things I have a couple of manga to get done. I also have:
Dragon Ball (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 4: Includes vols. 10, 11 & 12
The Saint's Magic Power Is Omnipotent (Light Novel) Vol. 4 
Ghost Station
Finished
, it was really fun, I really enjoyed it. A couple of things I might have changed about the conclusion to the murder case but overall, a really well done murder mystery, I look forward to the sequel next year.Next audiobook is
, I loved Heather Marshall's first book, so I'm really excited to see what she's done with this one.
I know I'm a little late but I was working on finishing up a novel. This will be a short one as I want to get back to my reading and relaxing before the weekend comes to an end.
The Saint's Magic Power Is Omnipotent (Light Novel) Vol. 4 -4 StarsNot a lot to really say about this one that I haven't said before. It's more of Sei figuring out her powers, a slow budding romance, fighting of the plague that is infecting the kingdom, etc. This is just a fun and feel good series.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone -4 StarsI know there are a lot of issues with the author and the series but this series will always have a special place in my memories. Rereading this was just a fun time and it was my first time listening to this as an audiobook. The narrator was Jim Dale and I felt that he did a great job.
Ghost Station -2 StarSpicy and hot take time. I didn't like this book. I didn't think it was a bad book, in fact there were several interesting ideas in the book. My biggest problem with this book is that it was just super boring. There was some cool initial setup and then it just settled into this plodding pace with a MC that I just didn't like and the book just turned into this giant slog to get through. There was a big shocking reveal about half way through that was telegraphed from about a mile away. When it finally was revealed it just wasn't that shocking. Maybe if the ending was interesting it might have been better but it just kind of happened and nothing was really explained. I kind of feel let down as I was a bit hype for this book.
Now for the manga
Dragon Ball (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 4: Includes vols. 10, 11 & 12 -4 StarsMore Dragon Ball. This one covered another tournament and the introduction of Picollo which had a bit more of a mature tone. Not a lot but some characters die but you know they will be coming back to life at some point.
Dinosaur Sanctuary Vol. 4 -3 StarsMore dino facts. That's about it.
As for what it is next.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the CrematoryMy next audiobook
Outside of that I have a giant stack of manga/comics/manhwa to get through this week so I can get them back to the library. Now, back to my reading.
Mod
Hopefully your next one is good too
Mod
Too bad about Ghost Station. I didnt love the authors other book so ill be avoiding this one.
Ill always love Harry Potter too.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory is one I didnt finish. It started interesting but I got bored reading it. Might be better on audio though.
YA Addicted Book Club
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Not reading anything at the moment, but I will definitely be starting