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What are you reading 2024
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Brittany
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Jul 28, 2024 10:12AM
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last week and that it. Lol. My car had a maintenance appointment so I had an hour to kill, and the length of this comic book was perfect! And overall, I really liked this series. The magic and mythos were really interesting, plus I loved all the literary characters that were hinted at. However, this series is unfinished, this 3rd volume having been released almost 10 years ago. I don't even know if we're ever going to get an actual conclusion, but it's been so long that I'm going to count it towards my series finished challenge. Lol.
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Glad the recs worked for ya, looking forward to seeing what you end up getting to
I'm back and I have been doing some reading this week. 
Stitches -3 StarsThis was essentially one of those spooky short story collections for teens but from a Japanese author and I have many conflicted feelings. I've read a lot of these books ever since I was a young man and they were a great gateway into other horror. As a result these books, no matter the stories, always have this sense of nostalgia for me. They all have the same feeling, the setups, the same shocking twists, the same overall vibe. Ultimately though, that is also my biggest issue with these kind of books as well. They never feel new or fresh for me. Sure the stories and settings might change but at their core they're always the same. I also feel a bit disappointed when reading these stories as well. Like I said they are a great gateway into horror and while not a die hard horror fan I have dabbled in a fair bit of horror over the years. These stories feel like a tease for me. It introduces a spooky setup but before anything can really happen or can be explored it's already over and moving onto the next thing. I want to know what that creepy ghosts does to people, I want to see what that weird monster thing does to people, I want to know who and what they are, I just want more. I always end up feeling disappointed in these kind of books but I know at some point I'll pick up another one because of nostalgia and curiosity.
Blood Cursed -3 StarsMy next audiobook was Return of the King, the final book in the LotR series and I just wasn't mentally in the mood for something that serious. I ended up grabbing this book as I just had this craving to listen to another one of these and it didn't disappoint. It's a cheesy action novel. This is the 44th novel in this series of cheesy action novels written by many different authors under the same name. You don't pay attention to continuity, you don't pay attention to things like character growth or realism. You show up for the gunfights, the sword fights, the action, and the silliness of it all. This novel gave me just that and my tired brain was happy.
Now for the manga and comics
First Test Graphic Novel -3 StarsWhy do I keep doing this to myself? At this point in time I should know better and yet I keep picking up these type of comics. This is a comic book adaptation of a full length novel of the same name by Tamora Pierce. I just don't like comic book adaptations. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with this comic and is a fair adaptation. Comics like this just leave me feeling disappointed and kind of short changed. With the novel you get to explore the character and world and see so much stuff. Someone has to then come along, condense all of that, put it into a different medium, all with their own interpretation of things. As a result things get cut out, things get changed, and some things just don't change well from one medium to another. As a result I just feel short changed at the end. I just want to go out and pick up the original novel.
[bookc:She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Vol. 4 (Volume 4)|202730997] -5 StarsI just love this series and the budding romance between the two leads. I love how the series handles sensitive topics and I love the chemistry between all the characters. I just want more of this series and unfortunately it will be a bit of a wait. The fifth volume came out in Japan in February and there isn't even an announcement for the English translation yet.
Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord, Vol. 1 (Volume 1) -5 StarsYes, it's yet another chill slice of life yuri with adult women characters. I've had some really great experiences with this type of book and I love finding new ones. I'm sure there is a name/sub-genre for this type of book but I don't know what it is. The plot for this book is pretty simple. Lead goes through a breakup and is looking for a fresh start. She decides to move to a new place and finds this beautiful house for rent. The quirk is that the landlord lives in the house, in the attic to be specific. Oh and the landlord is an ex-idol as well. It's chill, it's sweet, it's cute. My brain and my heart are happy.
I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 3 -4 Stars
I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 4 -4 Stars
I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 5 -4 StarsAfter trying out the first couple volumes I knew I had to read the rest of this series. I sat down yesterday and plowed through the last three volumes and loved it. The mom in this series is just an amazing mom. Doing everything she can to try and understand what her sons are going through and figuring out how to support them. Even the dad, who says some questionable things, is trying to grow and change. Then we get to the ending. I'm not going to get into spoilers as there isn't really a lot to spoil. The ending just felt... rushed to be honest. There was a reveal that I more or less saw coming that felt like it didn't get the usual exploration. Then there was a bit more book and it just ended. Yes, it had a sweet moment at the end but there was just so many things that just felt unresolved. I'm not saying every story line has to end with a perfect little bow but the story just kind of ended with no wrap up. It's just left me feeling very perplexed, especially after reading the author's last little section. Am I just expecting to much from this series? Are my expectations just in the wrong? Am I just missing the point?
Now, what is next? I have the upcoming week off for my local anime convention so I have a lot reading time in my future.
On the audiobook front I have
The Return of the Kingand
Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsI want to finish Return of the King before the convention as it is a bit of a heavier read. I'm sure I'll need at least one other audiobook as well. Maybe another Rogue Angel one.
Outside of that I have some more manga to read, also another light novel, and I'm sure I'll end up grabbing something from Libby or Hoopla.
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So hard waiting for those English translations to happen.
Yay for vacation time and anime convention time! Planning on getting anything in particular this convention?
I'm on the look for some more stickers for my water bottle. I may also be thinking about something like pins or key chains for my back pack. I'm also on the hunt for comics/manga/novels but those don't seem to be cool to have at anime conventions anymore.Oh, oh, oh and there is a fan panel on Sunday for sumo that I am super stoked for.
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Yay for a sumo panel for you. That's awesome!
I'm a little off my schedule and I would have posted much earlier today but I really needed to sleep. I've had a busy week since my last update and not all of it was reading.
The Return of the King -5 StarsI feel like I have a lot to say about this book and it's going to be more then just "this book is awesome". It is awesome but I feel like I just have a lot more to unpack with this one. This series is divided up into six parts, or books, with each novel having two parts each. This final novel had some really different styles to it which was odd. The fifth part changed from this epic adventure to defeat this great evil to a full blown military fantasy. This fifth book was a whole lot of "this army moved there", "that army moved over there", "10k men moved in behind", etc. To be brutally honest, this is not really my style of fantasy but I could get through this section. Part of that is because it still had these personal moments scattered through out. That and it's ties to the larger story. In part six we get back to Frodo and Sam with the story coming to its inevitable end. What really surprised me the most with this section is just how soon this came to an end. This book had a few extras in the end but still this inevitable outcome came at about the 55% mark. Looking at my position in the book I was settling in for some story telling and then it was over but not really. Yes, the ring is destroyed, Middle Earth is saved, and there is much joyous celebration... kind of. What follows is basically the series running in reverse. With our MC's basically reuniting and then revisiting the major locations and characters we had encountered over the book. As the four hobbits are traveling back to the Shire characters leave them at various points until it's just the four of them returning to the Shire. With the adventure coming to an end at the door of Bag End where it all started and then essentially an epilogue that has the final end for Frodo and Bilbo.
This final section was really what got me thinking and reflecting on what I was reading. Like the other two books I was a little fuzzy on the details but I could remember the major plot points. That was until I got to the section after the ring was destroyed. This might as well have been a brand new book for me at this point and I have some thoughts/feeling about all this. First, this type of ending is just not something I think I've ever encountered before. Most books would have ended with the ring being destroyed and a short epilogue. I'm not sure if any series but LotR could have pulled off an ending like this either. I'm not saying it's impossible but it is a difficult thing to pull off and still have the reader engaged. Second, I love the message that I got from this. That the big adventure doesn't end once the big evil is done, that life itself is an adventure, and that everyday can be an adventure. You never know what might be around the next corner. I love that the adventure ended at the same place it all began. It shows how the characters have changed over their adventure for better or worse.
This book really gave me a lot to think about and I loved my overall experience with both this novel and the series in its entirety.
The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 1 -4 StarsEver since I watched the anime I knew I wanted to read the series it was based on. At that point in time all I could get my hands on was the manga without having to dish out some cold hard cash. Heading into the con I was looking for a light novel for some light reading while standing in line and discovered that Hoopla has the series available. To say that I was excited would be a wee bit of an understatement. Now for the book itself. It was good and what I was expecting, in a way. Normally when I read the light novel for a series it's a hands down better experience. There are a lot of details that get skipped, plot points that get glossed over, etc. This one has me feeling conflicted. The bedrock for the character and series is all there and solid but there were a lot of little embellishments when it comes to the anime. For instance cat mode Maomao for when she gets excited is an anime only thing. It's a minor thing, and I get why it's done but while reading about Maomao it just feels like there is this dimension missing to her. Also, this first book was the entire first season of the anime. There are 14 more volumes currently which means so much more content.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets -4 StarsI don't have a lot to say about this one, it was just a fun read and something easy to have on when I was bombing around a con.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 3—Stardust Crusaders, Vol. 6 -4 StarsAlso not a lot to say about this one either. More crazy fight scenes as we get ever closer to Dio.
Now what is next.
The SpellshopI saw the description of this as a "fantasy cozy mystery" and figured I had to give this a try.
For the manga side of things I have:
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I love cat mode Maomao in the anime. 14 more light novels!! Do you think we can get 14 more seasons?! I want to read the light novels but no access for me I dont think, ill look again later.
I don't about 14 more seasons but they did green light another season already. I would encourage you to double check as I didn't have access for the longest time either. It was only recently that my library got them.
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Whooooo! Now join me in the rabbit hole
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Want a thread to keep comments in? And here or on readersunbound?
We can start a thread here and if others want to join in they are more then welcome. Not sure what my reading schedule will be as I have a lot of things to read but I'll drop in when I can.
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A very weird combo this time. And no epic fantasy? Who the hell am I? :D
4 stars. The story is just hilarious, as if all the possible and impossible scenarios bound together to create a dangerous situation for Finlay. As soon as you relax, the author introduces another interesting twist, and again goes through the loop of different events, which occasionally lead to a more dangerous situation. Well, it’s pretty funny to follow a very busy mom/writer and her friend/nanny navigating through life and danger. I didn’t love the book, but enjoyed it nevertheless.
4 stars. I’m currently re-reading the series, very slowly though. That's interesting, how your perspective and attention changes when you re-read the book, pay attention to more details and even the things you never catched suddenly make sense. In the first book I really loved Citra, but here I found myself enjoying the scenes, which didn’t include here more.
3 stars. That’s a very random pick in the series of cozy mystery books. I dropped the series, though for some reason decided to read this book once more. Just because I craved something cozy and realized that it’s the only book in the genre that I could read at the moment. The beach town theme felt nostalgic. I kinda love reading summer-themed books at the end of summer. Feels so romantic and sad at the same time.
4 stars. Even though I liked the book, I’m not going to continue reading the series. There is an issue with mystery thriller series, when there are too many books, with each new book you become more detached and, well… bored. The writing style is great, the characters get more attention and proper development, there are also a couple of interesting twists. But I felt not engaged, actually it was the hardest book to finish for the past few months.
5 stars. Very satisfying, extremely gorgeous, heartfelt and cozy book with distinct Christmas vibes. Everyone is so sweet, kawaii and warm! Like the warmest blanket on a chill October night. But it’s August… and hot… Nevertheless I loved it and will re-read once more when it’s cold.
3 stars. Stars only for the language style, which was exquisite! Usually I don’t read lots of classics, but occasionally pick one here and there. And oh my god how long and boring it was! I guess it’s the most boring book since War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, so boring that it made me literally hate everything about the book!
Time for a quick update. I don't have as much to talk about with it being a shorter week and just life being life.
Cardcaptor Sakura, Book 4 -5 StarsYet another Clamp series that I find myself at the end of and man this one makes me tear up. I cried the first time I read the ending and I cried just as much this time. Why? No idea. There is just something about this ending that hits me right in the emotional core and reduces me to shambles. There is something just so sweet about everything and it just makes me bawl. Not a whole lot to say outside of that. Now to move on to the sequel which I have never read before.
Don't Call It Mystery (Omnibus) Vol. 1-2 -5 StarsThis is one of those random ones that popped up on my radar at some point but my library didn't have it at that point. Since then they got it and I got myself a copy. This book was an experience that just pulled me in hard. There are a couple aspects of this book that I feel need to be talked about. First, there is the art. There is a couple pages where the art is like the cover and it's good in an uncanny valley kind of way. It looks good but there is something that is just weird about it. Then there is the art that is used for the average panel and it's not that great. I've read all sorts of manga/doujinshi (fan made manga) so it's not the worst I've seen but it's still not that great. Where the story shines though is in the writing and I'm not sure how to even describe this oddity. The series is called Don't Call It Mystery and I feel that is apt. The MC helps solves puzzles but he is not involved with the investigation itself. He is not out in the field looking for clues, investigating crime scenes, none of that. What he is good at is talking and this boy talks a lot. He is always asking questions, sharing his opinions, etc. I think the best way to describe the reading experience of this book is to think of the classic reveal moment from something like a Poirot novel. Where Poirot gathers everyone together in the study and he goes over the events of the mystery. He asks questions, makes his observations, etc with all of it leading up to his big reveal of who the bad guy is. That moment is basically what this book is and it just works for me. This book has three cases/puzzles in it and the second one just hooked me in hard. One of those books where nothing matters but getting to end and the big reveal. I really can't wait for the second book.
Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection -4 StarsI think this will be my last Ito collection for a while. I love Ito and I still think that he is the master of horror in a manga format but I'm starting to feel kind of burnt out. Ito has been getting much more popular in the west which means more of his works have been getting translated. I've been reading several of these this year as the library has been bringing them in. After a while they just started to blur together. The weird art work, the spooky setting, the big spooky reveal, etc. That is what this collection is. It's more Ito being Ito. That being said there are some pretty good ones in this collection.
Now, what is up next.
The Spellshop I'm about 30% of the way into this book and I'm having a great time so far. I'm really glad that more and more cozy fantasy is being published in the main stream as it's a nice genre to read.
Outside of that I have some more manga and a couple novels to work through.
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I am unsurprised at how much I loved these two volumes. Lol. I loved the anime and the manga is just as good!
I also really enjoyed this one! I loved the blend of humor and action. I was not expecting it to have a little bit of the found family trope going on, but I welcome it very much! Lol. I'm really looking forward to reading more of this series.And right now I'm in the middle of an embarrassing amount of books because my mood still cannot make up it's mind 😅
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Great update! Is strange for you to be lacking in the fantasy department!
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I too am excited about how much more cozy fantasy there is out there now
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How many books makes it embarrassing?
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How many books makes it embarrassing?"
Four possibly going on five 😅
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Liliana wrote: "Elena that's a nice variety of books though! I have not read The Inheritance Games but I thought it was originally a trilogy? But more and more books seem to coming out, so I totally get you. Lol."I guess it was a trilogy, at least it feels like that. First 3 books were pretty good, but the 4th... not so much.
Brittany wrote: "Too bad you didnt love Brother's Hawthorne Elena. I've been inhaling the series recently. I totally get what you are saying though.Great update! Is strange for you to be lacking in the fantasy dep..."
I get it, I also inhaled first 2 books, but then I lost the interest and felt a bit disconnected.
Liliana wrote: "A couple more manga for this update... I am unsurprised at how much I loved these two volumes. Lol. I loved the a..."Both mangas are great indeed! I'm currently watching Spy x Family and completely and utterly in love with Anya. I mean the whole family (including Yor's brother) are great, but Anya is kinda next level of greatness :D
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Great update! Is strange for you to be lacking i..."
Totally fair. I haven't read Brother's Hawthorne yet.
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I am unsurprised at how much I loved these two volumes. Lo..."I dislike Yor's brother. He's my struggle with the manga.
I should go see if there's another volume for me to read though! Oh yay! There is. Looks like volume 12 just came out in English, long wait from the library though.
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That's fair, he's not a likable character and definitely creepy :D And I kinda like him because of all those things, he just adds some extra spice to the family.
Another week and some more reading. Honestly this month has been kind of slow which is really odd as August is normally a heavy month of reading for me. Just another oddity in a year of oddities. 
Desperation in Death -5 StarsTowards the end of the con earlier this month I had a craving for a novel and there was one thing I was really craving at that was some more In Death. This book was just such a comfort to read for me which is weird considering the super dark subject matter this one was covering. It's just the setting, the characters, and their interactions. I just love this series and reading it brings me a lot of fun.
The Spellshop -3 Stars (really a 3.5 star)This book took me on a journey that left me feeling conflicted by the ending. I'm not sure where or how this popped up on my radar as I'm back to ignoring new books this year but everything about this book screamed at me to give this a shot. The cover was beautiful, it's a cozy fantasy, books, magic, it just sounded great. The book started out great and pulled me in immediately. I loved the world that was set up, I loved Kaz, I loved getting to the island and finding the cottage. Then I got bored, then we met cloud bears and then I was excited, then drama started and I was back to feeling kind of meh. This book was basically all over the place for me. There were a lot of elements that I really loved such as the magic, the creatures of the world (Kaz, cloud bears, etc), the humanoid characters (centaurs, etc), the island itself. Then there were elements that I just didn't enjoy as much such as the romance. It's not a bad romance by itself but I felt that it was yet another distraction in the book that was taking me away from what I really wanted. Lets just say I would rather have cloud bears then talk about feelings and abs. Which brings me to the other point that I didn't really like and that was just the story. It really felt like the author was trying to throw every plot point possible in the book and just became muddled. If the story was just a simple thing where the MC made her way to the island and it was about her figuring out cottage life, magic, and the island I would have been perfectly happy. Instead we have to mix in romance, drama, villains (kind of), and it just became cluttered. This was a good book that just got lost in all its various story elements.
The Great Cleric (Manga) Vol. 10 -4 StarsMore of this series and it was what I expected. This is a fun mindless series.
Dragon Ball (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 5: Includes vols. 13, 14 & 15 -4 StarsMore Dragon Ball and this was fun. This was a more serious story line with the old Piccolo who then became Piccolo Jr. There is also another Piccolo that is God. It's Dragon Ball, don't read to deep into anything. This was also the introduction of probably the most controversial Dragon Ball character with Mr. Popo. Of course there are tons of fights because Dragon Ball. Overall it was just a fun read and I can't wait for the next one.
Now, what is next
Dead ScaredThis is the next audiobook I have downloaded but I'm not sure if I'm the mood for it. I was when I finished the first book but now I've seen some mixed stuff and my interest is elsewhere I'm kind of feeling a bit meh towards this. The thing is I don't really have anything else lined up and nothing else is really speaking to me so I might just roll with it.
ArtifactYup, another novel. Feels kind of weird to reading so many novels right now. This is for a challenge and it's alright so far.
Outside of that I have some more manga and comics and usual.
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I always liked Piccolo. Ugh Mr. Popo.
Nice that you are getting some novels read again!
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I get that. I've liked my fair share of creepy characters in the past as well lol. And you are absolutely right that he adds spice to the family 😂
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this was an okay mystery thriller. I liked the premise and the mystery itself, but that ending felt like it dragged on forever.
this one was a lot of fun! I love the Space Janitor world, and I love Vanti so I really enjoyed this one! The story was good and the characters and their banter were a lot of fun!
and this was also a lot of fun. I love Percy's sassiness. Lol. I had a blast reading this! I had it on my tbr for a long time so I was glad to finally get to it.
And I just finished this one and it was SO good! As always, Jennifer delivers on a good story with great action. Plus I love the characters, and I am particularly enjoying the family drama in this one. It was SO good!
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I am so jealous you've gotten to read Only Cold Depths already! But happy to hear it was so good. Cant wait to get my hands on it.
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such an entertaining book.
Time for that weekly update and this has been an odd week in an odd month of reading in an odd year of reading. Any way I found myself reading two mysteries at the same time. A cozy digital book and a dark thriller on audio. Don't mix these two genres together. The more I got invested in the dark thriller the more lame the cozy felt. In one book it was "bodies, bodies everywhere" and in the other book it was "there is a dead body, kind of, maybe, somewhere off page, and in another country". Two different tones, two different paces, and neither mix well.
Dead Scared -4ish Stars This was part of a buddy read and I rather enjoyed it. I'm not going to sugar coat it though, there are flaws with this book. Mainly in the characters department. The characters just aren't folks that I overly care about and feel more like a vessel to get me what I really want which is the mystery. The mystery in this book is easily the strongest point. It starts out kind of broad and scattered but before long I found myself completely hooked in. The author did a great job stringing the reader along as well. There is a character who is set up early on who is obviously a red herring for the reader but there is always that shadow of doubt that keeps a suspect. Every time you think the character is safely eliminated or just can't be because of the obvious red herring there is some new clue or action that just drags him back into the limelight. This book just keeps stringing you along to the end and then the end events keep you engaged until the final page. Not a perfect book but definitely entertaining.
Artifact -3 StarsThis was the cozy that had the unfortunate role of playing second fiddle this week. This was not a bad cozy and I feel in some ways it was pushing the boundaries of what one would expect from a normal cozy. There was no small town that our MC has lived in her entire life and she knows everyone. It starts in San Fransisco and does a little globe trotting before the end of the story. It's roots were definitely in the cozy genre but there was also felt like there were little traces of the globe trotting archeologist adventure mixed in as well. I'm not ruling out the second book but I'm not racing out for it either.
Tomb Raider King, Vol. 7 -4 StarsNot a lot to really say about this one. More artifacts, more revenge, more of the story.
I Got Caught Up In a Hero Summons, but the Other World was at Peace! (Manga) Vol. 8 -3 StarsI also don't have a lot to say about this one either. It's more of the story.
Stuff of Nightmares: No Holiday for Murder -3 StarsMeh, just meh. This was a random snag for me. I was at the library picking up my holds and this was on the librarian recommended shelf. I saw Christmas horror and R.L. Stine and was intrigued. I should have known better. This was just the bog standard, canned horror, with a creepy host to introduce the stories but for a slightly older audience. I don't hate these things, I find them mildly entertaining, but at the same time they just don't rock my world either.
Now, what is next
The Ambitious CardThis is purely a challenge read but I just don't encounter many books that just happen to take place in Minneapolis.
Outside of that I have a stack of things from the library currently. Not sure what I'm reading next but it's a long weekend and I have some time for reading.
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Now I think I’m back to being myself, mostly fantasy.
- 3 stars. Still the same feelings about the series as I had when I finished the first book. It’s not bad, but also not really good, slightly boring. And to be honest I’m struggling to connect with the characters.
- 3 stars. It’s been a while since I’ve read the first book. I remember it was very cozy, not too captivating and had lots of similarities to Harry Potter and The Howl’s Moving Castle. The second book doesn’t have the similarities and the narration improved, I also like the festiveness and the whole carnival theme. Whimsical, magical and cozy. Though the romantic line is just basic, it lacks everything, especially between the main characters.
- 3 stars. Still the same feeling about this book. I find that the first two books in the series are significantly superior to this one. The writing in this book feels rushed and the plot is not as well-developed as it could be. The characters also seem to lack depth and development compared to the previous books in the series. Overall, I am disappointed with this book.
- 3 stars. Well, there is an issue with books like that. The first one or two feel novel, interesting and hilarious, considering all the clumsy and awkward situations are delivered properly and at the right time. But somewhere around the 3rd book I got really tired of the repetitive trope, those moments are no longer funny, but more of annoying. The book is still well written and has some interesting turns.
- 4 stars. I didn’t expect to like it so much! I like the feeling of it, both magical but at the same time rational and scientific. It reminded me of The Shannara Chronicles, kinda nostalgic and very captivating. It’s been a long time since I was devoured by the book.
- 2 stars. Oh now I get why the rating on GR was so low. I was caught by the interesting description and some reviews from the people I know, but unfortunately the book didn’t deliver. The start of the story was pretty interesting and intriguing, but the more I read, the more boring it became. And the ending… just meh. I’m so disappointed.
- 4 stars. On the other hand, that book was a pleasant surprise. For a long time I avoided everything vampire-related, but finally decided to break this rule and try to immerse myself into the world of vampires once more. The story wasn’t very good, but I loved the characters, mostly their sass and courage. Kinda weird mixture, but somehow worked.
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So I then started
as there was no way Id be dnfing that one.
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Mothership is young YA, by 5-10% already had slut shaming and hating on the other girls even though they are all pregnant teens. Plus the word choices were just strange in many places. I may have enjoyed it when it came out but I want different things from my books these days.
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This has been a really busy week of reading for me and I have truly done a number on my library pile. Needless to say I will have a lot of things to talk about this week but at the same time not a lot to really say about some of them. You'll see below what I mean. Also, this will be a shotgun blast of books from all over my interest spectrum. From the violent and gritty to the super sweet slice of life. 
The Night of Baba Yaga -3 StarsI was scrolling through the new books at the library and the cover/title for this one simply jumped out me. After reading the synopsis I just knew I had to give this book a try. This book was an interesting read that kind of felt all over the place. There were elements of the book just felt like a solid three star book and then there were moments that felt like something from a solid four star book. This book was full of a lot of gore and violence with fight scenes a plenty which were good but nothing mind blowing either. Our MC is an absolute beast when it comes to hand to hand fighting and her willingness to scrap is what led us to this stories plot. She got into a fight, got overwhelmed by the Yakuza, and essentially blackmailed into being a bodyguard for the bosses daughter. All of this was pretty standard in my opinion. There was a particularly great twist though and the ending, while open ended and kind of rushed, felt pretty good. I was really struggling last night trying to think of a way to explain this book. It wasn't until I read a review where I found the perfect way to describe this. This book felt cinematic. I can easily see this as a movie and not like a summer blockbuster but more of an artistic action flick. Honestly the movie that I immediately thought of was the original Old Boy movie. Some of the action scenes in that movie would match this book so well. Overall this was a short, quick read that I'm glad I found. If you don't find a graphic and violent book then maybe give it a shot.
Now for all the comics/manga
Spy x Family, Vol. 6 -4 StarsAnother entry in this series and it's still fun. This one we get story progression and an underground tennis tournament. This is second time I ran into an underground, illegal, sports tournament and I have to say, I think I'm a fan of this trope. It takes a normal boring sports tournament and turns everything on it's head with the wacky insanity.
Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord, Vol. 2 -5 StarsI simply love this super sweet, borderline romantic, slice of life stories. They make my brain happy. Not much to say here.
The Ribbon Queen -3 StarsThis comic is what happens when you slap a police procedural together with a horror/body horror theme. This felt like a book written for the here and now as it dealt with two big themes, police corruption and violence against women. Yes, violence against women is not anything new and this book addresses that but the topic feels for topical for right now. Male members of a SWAT team start turning up dead in horribly violent ways and this book is about what they did and what is happening. The start of this book felt really good and the first time you see one of these men die is horrifying. After a while though the deaths kind of stop having an impact as they all die essentially the same way. The book really stumbled for me when it got towards the end and everything was explained. It just felt like the story went on hiatus for this massive info dump and it never really picked it back up again. Like the first part was full of mystery and horror which was really good and then then ending just felt like talking. Not a horrible read but I kind of clocked out of it before the final page.
Fullmetal Alchemist (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 3 -5 StarsMore FMA! I love this series and I am loving my reread of it.
A Witch's Printing Office, Vol. 1 -4 Stars
A Witch's Printing Office, Vol. 2 -4 StarsI saw that there was more volumes out for this series so I figured it was a good time for a return to it. I forgot how fun and absolutely nerdy this series was. Don't get me wrong I don't get most of the references in this series but I get some of them. I just love the idea of someone getting transported to a fantasy world and creating a fantasy version of Comiket. For those that don't know what Comiket is it's short for Comic Market and it's a semiannual event in Tokyo where people gather to sell self published works. This is a massive event and has become the worlds largest fan convention with over half a million people normally attending. Taking that concept and putting a fantasy twist on it is great. Outside of the Magiket our MC also runs a publishing company and we get to see the shenanigans that happen there. Like I said before, this is just a fun read.
Navigating With You -5 StarsJust putting this out there early, this was probably one of the best comics I've read in a long time. It's a simple slice of life romance and it just clicked with me on all fronts. It's a simple set up, two young women start at a new school, one is an introvert and one is an extrovert. One is looking to just blend in and get through the day while the other is out to make friends with everyone. As you can guess these two personalities clash and it's only when they discover a shared interest in an old manga series do the walls start to come down. They start a book club where they track down and read the volumes to this series. As the story progresses they become friends and then more then friends. There is just so much that I love about this book. The romance isn't an instant romance, it takes time and communication to be formed. Both women have their own issues that need to be worked out. Sometimes alone, sometimes with the support of the other person. The chemistry between these two is amazing and the book is just so sweet and yet there are moments that will make you cry. I love how the diversity aspect of things were handled. It never felt like either character was defined solely by one thing. Being a lesbian, having a disability, being Black/Latino, etc wasn't the only thing that defined their personality. It was an element of who they were as a person. The other thing I want to talk about is the manga series that they were tracking down. As they would find a volume you, the reader, would get a condensed version of it as well. The art style and story would change to this completely different series with it's own story line, characters, and everything. It was just this really nice touch and I loved it. This is a strong recommend from me if this sounds even slightly interesting at all.
The Boxer, Vol. 7 -3 StarsI now have to end this wrap up with a bit of a downer. I have been reading this series all year and have become oddly fascinated with it. I'm not normally a fan of sports related stuff but this just pulled me in I found myself just devouring them. I love how the "protagonist" kind of became this barrier that other characters had to overcome, but couldn't. I loved how the author would make you feel sympathetic for the opponent of the MC. Then we got to the current story arc. Our MC was going up two brothers, one was the manager and the other the fighter, who were well known for using the most vile and underhanded tactics in and out of the ring to win at any cost. Volume six set this up so well and the beginning of this volume set up the fight beautifully. Our MC, who is normally silent, usually ends the fight in the first round or two promises to make the fight last all twelve rounds. Basically stating that he won't knock his opponent out and will spend all twelve rounds beating him to a pulp to make him pay. As the reader you are stoked because his opponent deserves every horrible thing coming his way. Then the author tries to do a hard pivot. He tries to show that the brothers are not as bad as we all thought and the manager/team behind our MC is just as bad as they are. There was no real set up for the MC's team to be this "evil" and I just didn't care about the brothers back story. Sometimes you just need the bad guys to be bad guys and the good guys to be good guys. There is nothing wrong with this as a story element. This twist just didn't work for me and it kind of put a stain on the whole series for me. I don't thing the MC is bad necessarily but it calls his manager and their team into question. I just don't like how any of this was handled at all. I'll still be back for volume eight but I'm a little less excited for things now.
As for what is next
The Ambitious Card
Like This, For EverThese are the audiobooks for this week. I'm hoping to have The Ambitious Card done today and then I'll get started on the next one.
Outside of that I have my never ending pile of things from the library. Probably the first thing up will be Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear. Yes, I am rereading this series again. I was just in a mood and I wanted to read this again because it makes the brain happy. I also have some more Dragonball and a horror comic. I also have the entire second season of Steven Universe I need to finish before next weekend as well.
@Gord love the update, especially A Witch's Printing Office, sounds like an interesting one.
YA Addicted Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Assistant to the Villain (other topics)Apprentice to the Villain (other topics)
The Fragile Threads of Power (other topics)
My Quiet Blacksmith Life in Another World: Volume 4 (other topics)
Nue's Exorcist, Vol. 2 (other topics)
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