YA Addicted Book Club discussion
Books!
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What are you reading 2024
Mod
omg this book did a number on me 😭 Going into this I wasn't even sure if I was going to be in the right mood for it just because I have to be in a very specific mood for romances, but I ended up reading this in only TWO days! And it's a pretty lengthy book for a romance! (It's only 448 pages, but that's long for a romance!) I was actually not expecting it to be as heartbreaking as it was, but I was HOOKED!! And the romance was SO cute! Finishing this book, I actually had a book hangover... and I haven't had one in SO long!! I just could not stop thinking about it! I love Lynn Painter and her fluffy romances that have realistic and complex characters 😌
Because Nothing Like the Movies gave me a book hangover, I decided to read even more WesLiz content, and it was honestly the best decision of my life 😌 (I'm being dramatic, but also, am I? Lol). Nothing Better Than You is Wes and Liz's first kiss in Wes's POV and I loved it! I just love how much he loves Liz! It is SO cute! Wes & Liz's College Road Trip is exactly as the title describes. Lol. And it was a lot of fun and also very cute! I cannot get over how cute they are together! 🥰
And then this week I read my first adult romance from Lynn Painter and I also enjoyed it! It's just as cute as her YA romances! I didn't love the third act conflict, but that's not a Lynn Painter fault, it's more a romance book fault. I just find them to be so dumb sometimes. But overall, I really liked this and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
This book... I was expecting a sci-fi horror from This World is Not Yours, and while we did get a bit of that toward the last half of the novella, this book was mostly a domestic drama and that was just not it for me 😬 It wasn't a horrible book, I liked the concept, but it also was not at all what I was expecting, so I was a bit disappointed by it.
This one was a much better sci-fi horror! Mira Grant just does horror SO well!! It was crazy and intriguing and this one ended in quite a cliffhanger so I cannot wait to find out what happens in the final book of the trilogy!
And then I read a nonfiction book. I was hoping this one would be in the vein of Quackery, which I loved, and it was! It was very fun and informative! It was so easy to read that I finished it in just over a day!
And then I went back to this MG series from Kiersten White and I enjoyed it! It was fun and a little creepy and the mystery is very intriguing!
And then yesterday I finished another Spy x Family volume! It was cute and it was fun and I already have volume 4 ready to go. Lol.Right now I'm reading
and
. I've been trying to catch up on reading all the Percy Jackson books in preparation for the new PJO book that's coming out next week already, but I don't think I'm gonna make it 😂 That's fine. I'm still having fun reading these. Lol. And Tales from the Gas Station is a horror comedy that is one of my favorite series! I'm actually reading this on Kindle AND listening to it on audio because I love the narrator! I'm probably going to be starting something else too because I can't help it 😆
Mod
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I wish more romances would avoid the third act conflict. Im so sick of it. Or at least do it differently. It doesn't need to be some break up or whatever. Glad you've been enjoying Lynn Painter's books though!
I really need to read that Mira Grant series. Still one of the few of hers I havent picked up. Great to see you loving it.
Sawbones sounds like such a fun nonfiction!
yay for more spy family
Mod
so good! Brings us to the end of the first season of the anime. Looking forward to seeing where book 3 takes me soon
it was good but nowhere near as good as I expected from all the hype. Just wasn't as lie filled or twisty as I hoped. Still enjoyable enough.Almost done
its good and Ill probably curl up and finish it shortly finally.
its okay but not great and I highly doubt Ill continue the series after
I'm about 30% in and wondering if I should dnf it? Im sort of intrigued by the ideas but also kind of bored
This will be a short one this week as I was lost in the novels this week and didn't have the chance to read any manga yet.
Like This, For Ever -5 StarThis book was a wild one to read. Of the three books I've read in the series so far I think this is my favorite which is kind of odd because the main characters were barely in this one. They were there but they felt more like side characters or the B plot to the main story. Their involvement with the story was more about pushing their character arcs forward then the actual story. That is until they inevitably get pulled into the story. I want to be very careful with what I say here to avoid spoilers. As the previous book established the author is very good at using red herrings. This book really solidified that feeling for me and then it had a couple of really good twists on top of everything. Just an intense read that I could not put down especially in the last half of the book. At this point I am very tempted to check out the author's standalone works to see what else she has to offer.
A High Tide Murder -3 StarsI remember reading the first one and feeling like it was a breathe of fresh air. While it was a cozy mystery it flipped some of the expected tropes on their head. This second one felt more like it was sliding back into the expected tropes of a cozy mystery. I liked the character stuff a lot more then the actual mystery itself. The mystery, like I just mentioned, felt like a bog standard cozy affair with one really annoying habit. The MC would find a clue that was pretty obvious and not just in a reader knowledge kind of way. They would then get puzzled by it and ignore it until several chapters later when it was once again needed for the story. I hate this trope of ignoring the super obvious clue until just the right time. It makes everyone involved feel kind of stupid when they obviously are not. Overall it was an entertaining read and if there is a third one I will check it. That being said, some of the initial shine for this series has already worn off for me.
The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent (Light Novel) Vol. 6 -4 StarsAnother book in this series and we start to see the involvement of other countries. I'm not sure if that involvement will change the overall story going forward but it was interesting. Not a lot to really say about this one overall. Some advancement on the romance, a bunch of research, some behind the scenes political scheming and maneuvering.
Now what is next
Ophie's GhostsThis is my next audiobook. I needed a historical fiction book and I've liked what I read from this author before so it should be good.
Outside of that I have a stack of manga from the library that I need to get caught up on
Mod
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I wish more romances would avoid the third act conflict. Im so sick of it. Or at least do it differently. It doesn't need to be some break up or whatever. Glad yo..."
I completely agree with you on the romances! I am just so over it. Why does there have to be a breakup at all? And if there is, the reason has to be believable and, you know, not dumb. Lol.
There are so many things I love about Mira Grant's writing, and I'm glad there are more books I can read under her urban fantasy name. Lol.
Mod
so good! Brings us to the end of the first season of the anime. Looking forward to seeing where book 3 take..."Oh no, it sucks that you had all those not-so-great books. But I'm glad that there were some good ones sprinkled throughout! I've been looking forward to reading The Apothecary Diaries ever since you recommended it! I'm glad to hear you're still enjoying it!
Mod
I loved volume 4 of Spy x Family because we get to meet the cute doggo that joins the family! I love Bond and the fact that his name is Bond 😆 This was action-packed and cute and I just cannot get enough of this series! I put the next two volumes on hold at the library and I cannot wait to dive into them!
After that, I finally read the 6th Percy Jackson book that was released last year and I LOVED IT!! It was SO good! It was such a fun adventure and it was so nice to be back with the original three: Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. The 7th book comes out this Tuesday and I am SO excited! I am going to be reading it as soon as I get my hands on a copy!
And then I continued on with the Sinister Summer MG mystery series. This one was also a lot of fun and the mystery is intriguing. Plus, it has a ton of interesting characters. I'm excited to see how this series wraps up in the next book!
Last, I read two Mira Grant horror sci-fi novellas. I love this author's books because the premise is always good and the science is very interesting, and these two novellas were no different!
Mod
I havent read either of those Mira Grant books, not surprising since I dont often do novellas but happy you enjoyed them!! I look forward to you trying Seanan Mcguire's UF series. I just finished another book in one of her series myself
Just finished
yesterday, not my favourite Kate Quinn but a decent enough read.Next audiobook is
, excited for this one as it seems to have quite similar vibes to The Last Bookshop In London by the same author.
Mod
I havent read either of those Mira Grant books, not surprising since I dont often do novellas but happy you enjoyed them!! I look forward to you try..."
I am also very glad that I liked the new Percy book as much as I did. Lol. I'm not gonna lie, I was a tiny bit apprehensive going into it because when I re-read The Lightning Thief last year, I didn't love it as much as I once did 😬 But having re-read The Heroes of Olympus series and then reading this new Percy Jackson book, I noticed that Rick Riordan's writing just got a lot better over the years, so I am glad for that. Lol.
I have that series on my TBR! It looks so interesting and fun! I was gonna ask how you're liking it, but seeing as how you're 12 books into the series, I think it's safe to assume you like it 😂
Mod
yesterday, not my favourite Kate Quinn but a decent enough read.Next audiobook is
, excited for thi..."Oooh I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on The Booklover's Library! Books about books are so fun. Lol
I'm enjoying it so far! It's a nice change of pace from The Briar Club as the chapters are all quite short which I needed after those 45 minute-hour long chunky chapters!
Mod
Jo totally fair! Short chapters especially on audio can be lovely and the Briar Club ones were so very long. Glad you're enjoying it! Ill probably read that one at some point too
Time for that weekly update and I have a bit of things to say about one book in particular. 
The Ghostly Grounds: Murder and Breakfast -DNF (all the negative stars)I don't normally talk about books that I DNF just because they're not really all that common and, generally speaking, I don't really have a lot to say about them. Then there is this one. I DNF'd this book at about the 5% mark in the audiobook and really it took just one line to make me want to throw this book out the window. To set the scene, the MC has just quit her job and is trying to call her boyfriend. This is the part of the book where the MC reflects on their significant other/the author describes him to us. He is a 40 year old game developer who she thinks can be be immature because he likes playing video games and likes going to comic book conventions. Before I get into my personal opinions on this steaming pile of hot garbage lets just look at this from the professional aspect. The man is a video game developer. I don't think it takes a massive stretch of the imagination to see how his hobbies influence his work and his work influences his hobbies. Playing video games, this is probably a great way for him to hang out with his buddies after work and to just relax. It's also a way to see what is the latest trends, the latest duds, finding inspiration, etc. Then there are comic conventions. How can you not see that this would be fun for someone who likes video games? Second, see all my stuff above about work and personal life. It all applies here as well. Depending on what game he is making, the size of the studio, etc there is also a great chance he could be working at conventions like this as well.
Now we get into my personal opinions on this. Without getting to nasty here this MC and this author can go pound sand. This kind of mentality is toxic as hell. I've personally heard stuff like this in my adult life and other variations on it. Comics/cartoons are for kids, comics/manga are not real books, your just wasting your time playing games, etc, etc, etc, etc. I know that many others with nerdy hobbies and passions have also heard these kind of comments as well. These kind of comments can be damaging for people. Why share my hobbies with people if I'm just going to get ridiculed for it. The other aspect of this is how does someones personal hobbies have any reflection on their maturity? It doesn't. It's as simple as that. It simply doesn't. If you know me then you know I am into some nerdy stuff (manga, anime, vtubers, comics, light novels, video games) but I've also explored other fandoms as well. While the subject matter might be different there are a lot of similarities as well. What is the difference between someone memorizing the lore of Warhammer 40K, someone memorizing the stats of all the major football players for the last 40 years, or someone who knows a ton about wine (tasting, ages, vineyards, etc). Unless you are directly involved in those industries they probably have little real life use. Here is the thing, they are something people are passionate about and are invested in. They also have no link to maturity at all. Simply linking someones maturity to a hobby or passion you don't understand is stupid. I could keep ranting here for a while but I'm going to move on.
Ophie's Ghosts -4 StarsI needed a historical fiction book for a challenge and found this on my TBR. I've liked other stuff from the author so I figured it was a safe bet. As you can tell from rating I rather enjoyed this book. This book is about a young black girl who is forced to move to Pittsburgh after her father is killed in Georgia. It's set in 1923 and she can see ghosts. This was kind of a mystery novel as she unravels what happens to this ghost that she became friends with. My biggest worry heading into this novel was that this was a middle grade book and it was some heavy subject matter. I've seen some stuff try to tell stories in this time of history that just glosses over the horrible stuff that happened. That worry was quickly eased though. Sure it didn't get it the nitty gritty of things but it didn't shy away from the horrible things said and done in that time. This book was an interesting read with a great MC. It did feel a little bit middle grade at times, some of the clues were super obvious but it was written as middle grade book. It's not a knock on the book at all. It's kind of nice to read something that is not actively trying to deceive me.
Now for the manga (bite lip on maturity comment)
Spy x Family, Vol. 7 -4 Stars
Spy x Family, Vol. 8 -4 StarsMore of this series and it was a really fun read. It was also super nice to get a Yor based story line and I hope we can see more in the future.
The Moon on a Rainy Night, Vol. 1 -4 StarsThis was a random snag from the library and another yuri romance. The big twist is that one of the MC's has hearing loss but she is not fully deaf. This causes her to pull back from everyone around her and live a very isolated life. I love reading manga like this, ones that gives me a glimpse into world that I know little about. I'm also loving the pacing of this one. It's not instant love or anything. They start as strangers that have become casual friends. My biggest concern with this series will be the drama. I know it's inevitable that there will be drama but I worry about what kind and how it's handled. I really hope it avoids a lot of the cliche high school romance tropes. In particular the lack of communication one.
Don't Call it Mystery (Omnibus) Vol. 3-4 -4 StarsWhat is up with this series? Why am I so hooked on it? It's just the MC yapping all the time but I find myself just drawn in to it. No, the art hasn't improved at all but I don't really care about the art anymore. I'm fully here for the story. Now one small criticism about this volume. I felt that the family story line we started in the last volume and wrapped up here kind of dragged a bit. It was far from horrible but I kind of wished it had been a bit shorter or broken up into smaller individual mysteries that linked into a larger one. Kind of like what we see later in the book.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 3—Stardust Crusaders, Vol. 7 -4 StarsEvery volume in this series just solidifies my love/hate relationship I have been developing. I love the art, I love the creativity of the fights and the stands, but the main JoJo and the story really took a back seat in this one. Joseph Joestar who was the main JoJo from the last series has more of a presence in this series then the actual main JoJo. Jotaro Kujo almost feels like a background character in this series. I think that is one of the problems with have a large cast of over the top characters. Someone inevitably fades into the background and in this one it just so happens to be the MC.
As for what is coming up next, I've got a week of great reads ahead of me
For audiobooks I have
Sunken Pyramid
GhostsI'm almost done Sunken Pyramid and it's another Rogue Angel book. It was the one I started after DNF'ing a certain book mentioned above and it was what I needed. Mindless popcorn to make me feel good.
For physical books
Raven of the Inner Palace (Light Novel) Vol. 1
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear (Light Novel) Vol. 2I started Raven this morning and after only 15 pages I am finding myself hooked. Hopefully it continues to be good.
Mod
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Glad to hear that people enjoy my rants. I've tried to be a bit more selective in which books get a full on rant. Just because a book is not for me doesn't mean I should be harsh towards it. Then there are books like that first one that fully deserves it.
Mod
This was a pretty fun space horror manga. It was gory, which I liked, and I am intrigued by the story.
This one was also fun. Kiersten White just writes really fun middle grade mysteries! Plus, I really liked the setting of this one!
And Circe was amazing! Which is not surprising. Lol. It was heartbreaking and beautifully written, and I really loved this iteration of Circe!
I have been putting off reading this book for so long because I just didn't want the series to end 😆 I just love this horror comedy! I really enjoyed it! It was ridiculous in the best way possible. Lol.
Mod
The strange thing is that they are similar, but at the same time very different. I really loved The Witch's Heart, but unfortunately didn't enjoy Circe much :(
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Oh if you love Norse mythology, you'll definitely love this book. And I might also re-read it soon.
Mod
Exactly!! Norse Myth is a happy change of pace.
My recent successes and fails :D
- 4 stars. I didn’t like the 3rd book much, but the 4th was hilarious. There are so many absurd moments that are handled pretty well, when they become funny and make you at least smile. I loved the writing style, the humor and the lightness of the book. Though you feel some tension, it’s still very light and easy to fly through. Reminded me of Dial A for Aunties.
- 3 stars. The thing is that recently for whoever knows what insane reason I decided that I need to read more horror. And why did I even pick this book? It’s not so scary as it’s just disgusting. I’ve never read such a gross book about vampires. Now I can definitely say that I prefer a romanticized version of everything related to vampires, otherwise it just becomes yuck!.
- 5 stars. Enjoyed so much! I’ve never thought I might fall in love with the historical LGBT book. But here I am rating it 5 stars for the exquisite writing style, good coffee and occasional murder.
- 5 stars. Seasonal re-read of my favorite books. Murakami is one of my favorite authors and for me his books are the perfect combination of casual magic, simplicity and a unique japanese atmosphere.
- 3 stars. Not the best choice. I wanted to read western and didn’t find anything else available. A very random pick, not too bad, but also nothing extraordinary. Though I like that there are books and librarians.
- 1 star. It’s just SO FREAKING BAD. DNFed. The sarcasm in this book was driving me crazy. Each freaking word contained a chunk of a very nasty version of sarcasm.
- 5 stars. On the contrary, this book made my week. Such a funny, warm, witty, and a shimmering story. I love everything, from the beginning, to the very end, especially that last thing, when Daphne and Miles tell their story.
Mod
Nice update overall!
That's a vibe I guess. Literally the least expected combo, but I'm currently reading
and listening to Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive on repeat, and they fit so well together in my universe :DBTW: Loving the book so far. It's crazy, sometimes makes me angry, but very interesting!
Mod
The past few days were... interesting :D
- 5 stars. Again. Re-reading it yet another time. And it’s still one of the best books I’ve ever read. I even want to re-read it in German now. Who knows, most likely my next LoTR reread will indeed be in German.
- 5 stars. The week was pretty strong and I started a couple amazing series. Earlier I read another series by the author and was impressed with her creativeness and smooth writing style. This book is not as good as the other series, but still it’s a 5-star book. It’s a little bit heavy on twisted relationships, but overall the idea, the plot and the characters are interesting. Though I wanted deeper character development, and I hope to learn more about them in the next book.
- 5 stars. Yep, another 5-star YA romantasy series. The delivery is not perfect, but the characters are so loveable, sassy and the enemies-to-lovers trope is handled pretty well. I mean, when I don’t hate it, it’s usually well :D My favorite part was related to the shadows concept.
- 4 stars. I love how the authors progressed (compared to their earlier books). Somehow they managed to write 60% of the book without sex scenes and concentrated more on actually developing the characters, the scenery and family relations. The whole setting is ridiculous, but at the same time relaxing, easy to read and extremely comforting.
- 3 stars. I expected more with such an interesting description, but unfortunately the book didn’t deliver. The story is mediocre, repetitive and not very engaging. Didn’t click, at some point I forced myself to read.
- 2 stars. The strangest book I’ve read this year. I have mixed feelings about the book. I guess I like the historical part, but not the present events happening in the book. And all the drugs-related lines don’t even make sense and are not really connected to the story, kinda disgusting.
- 5 stars. The thing is that usually I’m not a huge fan of the genre, but this book was great! It kept my attention till the very end. The characters are so likable, witty and even intriguing. The romance is a combination of coziness, steam and charm.
- 5 stars. That’s a gem! So far my favorite book of 2024. I love everything, from the gloomy, bloody setting to the witty and eccentric characters, not to mention the writer's exquisite writing style. I never loved anything Holmes-and-Watson, but this book reinvented the whole concept and made me fall in love with the style.
- 3 stars. That’s a weird one. Probably my least favorite of the author’s books. It’s pretty short and has only one simple line. And it’s kinda gross.
- 2 stars. Mmm… the weirdness continues, I guess. The story felt chaotic and though it was recommended by a friend, I didn’t connect with the plot at all. On top of that I didn’t like the main character. Though the writing style is somewhat manageable, I didn’t like the narration. Will drop the series.
Mod
Ive been looking forward to reading The Tainted Cup so I love hearing its your fave of the year!
Mod
- 5 stars. Again. Re-reading it yet another time. And it’s still one of the best books I’ve ever read. I ev..."Omg it's been so long since I read Shatter Me but I remember loving it as well! Is that a series you plan on continuing? I know the series is still very popular right now, what with the author continuing to release books in the series even now. Lol.
Mod
omg the new Percy Jackson book was SO GOOD! I loved it so much! And it was so perfect to read during this time of year because it takes place on the last week of October, with the climax being on Halloween. Plus, in this book, Percy and his friends are pet-sitting for none other than the Greek goddess of magic herself, Hecate! It was just so perfect! It had magic and ghosts and a strawberry catastrophe that almost got them in trouble with the goddess 😬 It was great! 😆
I, of course, enjoyed these as well. In volume 6 there was this really intense tennis match that I had almost forgotten about 😂 It was insane! But I loved it. I'm loving the story, the side plots, and the characters.
Mod
And yay for more spy family
It's a bit later then normal but here is my update for the week.
Sunken Pyramid -3This was another Rogue Angel book and there isn't a lot to say about it. I'm now 45 books deep into this series and I'm getting exactly what I expect out of these books, especially now that I am listening to the Graphic Audio versions. These books are simple popcorn that I can turn my brain off and just enjoy. For this one, the book had a bit more of an archeological spin to it then the regular high octane adventure story. There was still various fights and what not but they were more there because they had to be there then anything else. Most of it was coming from this relics smuggling ring that was a B plot and when I look back at it I'm really not sure what it had to do with the main plot. Outside of being the thing to poke it along at times.
Raven of the Inner Palace (Light Novel) Vol. 1 -3 StarsThis is a series that has been popping up on my radar a lot ever since I got into Apothecary Diaries. Basically if you liked Apothecary Diaries then you will like this series kind of stuff. After reading through this I can see the comparisons but there are some pretty big differences as well. This is set in Chinese imperial setting with it being mainly focused on the inner court with the consorts of the Emperor. The MC's are both highly intelligent young women who are a bit stunted on social graces. There are mysteries to solve where the young women use their unique skill set and intelligence to solve. That's where the similarities kind of end and the differences start to set in. First, and this is a big one, in this universe magic is very real and the supernatural is very real. Second, also another big one, the MC in this novel is one of the consorts. Granted, she is not a consort in a normal sense and that is one of the things that immediately hooked me into this novel. She is a consort but she does not perform, as the book described it, her "nightly duties". In fact the Emperor will not call on her at all. She is not someone who works her way up through the ranks either. A Raven Consort is chosen by a higher power and is almost a religious position in the inner palace. If one is brave enough you can go to her to help find things, exorcise a ghost, or maybe, if rumors are to be believed, she will curse someone for you.
I think the comparisons to Apothecary Diaries kind of tainted my expectations for this book. It wasn't a bad book but it also didn't click with me as much, yet. The mysteries feel much more independent without a lot of that overarching mystery to tie everything together. That being said there is an interconnecting story and it has some good twists. One that I was not expecting was the revelation of just what the true position of the Raven Consort really is. That was a surprise and I hope it plays a bigger part in future books. I'm also hoping that we get a bit more variety in the story types going forward. This felt like it was kind of samey by the end. Regardless of my criticisms I will be reading more in this series if I can find them.
Ghosts -3 StarsI'm kind of ashamed to say that I kind of forgot about this series after reading the first one earlier this year. It wasn't until I was trying to find something to listen to that I remembered that I wanted to keep listening to this one. This book is the second book in the series and it has a bit of a weird vibe to it. This book felt like more a first book in a series then the actual first book and I have a theory why. It almost feels like the first book was meant as a standalone and this was only written when someone realized how popular the first one was. There is a time skip, much more lore explored, new characters established, etc. There is also this feeling that this book is trying to set up much more of a longer story line and the ending really solidified that feeling. I also feel that this leans a bit more into the generic popcorn action kind of feeling. Don't get me wrong, I was still highly entertained while reading this and I will read more in the future as long as I don't forget it on my TBR again.
Now for the manga
Fullmetal Alchemist (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 4 -5 StarsMore of this amazing story and more reveals. Just a great time.
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You 01 -4 Stars
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You 02 -4 StarsI've had this pop up on my radar a few times and I was kind of on the fence about it. Then my library got some copies of it and I had to try it. This series is a chill slice of life romance series and I have to say that I am really starting to love this subgenre. I love the slower pace, I like how the romance takes time to develop, and it just doesn't feel like it needs that drama edge to it. So this series is basically about two people relaxing after a hard days work and having a smoke. Here is the weird little twist to this story. The guy has a bit of a thing for the cashier who works till #2 in the grocery store and has no idea that the woman he is having a smoke with is the same person. I know this makes the MC sound super dense and yeah he is a bit dense but I can kind of see this one. The guy is swinging by the market after putting in a 12+ hour day where he is treated like crap by his boss. The man is exhausted and just looking for that one little ray of sunshine which is this cashier. He really doesn't know her outside of this brief encounter where she has her customer service face on. When he runs into her behind the store she isn't in her uniform and she has dropped her customer service face. She is a fairly different person then the one he sees briefly at the till. I love how the two characters bond and become friends even though there is a 20 year age difference (he is 45 years and she is 24). There is also an interesting cast of side characters and hints that this might not be the first time they have met. I'm just having fun with this one and can't wait for the next one.
Now, what is next
The Sword of Shannara This is my next audiobook and my next big fantasy journey. This audiobook kind of intimidates me though as it is 27 hours long. Needless to say I'll be working on this one for a couple weeks.
Outside of that I have a giant stack of things I need to work on from the library for the next couple weeks.
Brittany wrote: "Lots of polarizing books for you Elena! Either 5 stars or strange and rather unenjoyable. Ive been looking forward to reading The Tainted Cup so I love hearing its your fave of the year!"
Yeah, The Tainted Cup was a very unplanned pick and literally one of the best decisions I've made. You should definitely try it, even if you don't like it as much as I do, nevertheless it would be a great experience.
Liliana wrote: "Omg it's been so long since I read Shatter Me but I remember loving it as well! Is that a series you plan on continuing? I know the series is still very popular right now, what with the author continuing to release books in the series even now. Lol."Yep, I'm going to continue with the series, looks like a long one and I might drop it in the middle, but for now I'm pretty much invested.
Liliana wrote: "My update for the week: omg the new Percy Jackson book was SO GOOD! I loved it so much! And it was so perfect to read during this time of year bec..."Ok... what a shame that I'm stuck with the 2nd book in PJ series :D But your 'SO GOOD' made me open kindle, download PJ 2 and start reading it.
Mod
Raven of the Inner Palace sounds really interesting. I can see how the comparison to apothecary diaries might make one expect something else though.
Im looking forward to your thoughts on Shannara on audio. Curious how it will work for you. Also fun that you are starting a longer audio
Mod
Finished
which I really enjoyed. I gave it 4 stars. It was such a cute and fun read. I loved that it was very Urban Fantasy with so many different creatures in there. I will definitely be continuing the series.Finished
I only picked this one up as it seems like a short and fun read and the author is attending a con I'm going to next year. It was okay. I liked the concept but there just wasn't enough time to flesh parts of it out. I ended up skim reading the second half because I had lost interest. I ended up giving it 2.5 stars.Finished
and loved it. I guessed 'who dunnit' quite early on but honestly it didn't affect my enjoyment at all. It was so fast paced and creepy, I couldn't put it down, Read it in 2 days which is amazing for me at the moment. Fantastic book if you like murder mysteries/thrillers. I really loved it and gave it 5 stars.I'm about 40% of the way through
on audio and I will be starting
after work tonight.
Much later then normal but that is because I've had some long weekends and it's messing with my normal schedule of things. This week I'm going to be talking about a lot of manga and comics as that is just what I have currently from the library.
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Light Novels, Vol. 1 -4 StarsMy one and only novel this week and I don't really have a lot to say about it. For me this is more or less in the same vein as Kuma Bear and I love the easy vibe of it. This series is about a VRMMO where our MC creates one of the most broken characters in the game by dumping every single point she gets in defense. Combine that with some pure dumb luck allowing her to find some absolutely broken skills and she essentially turns into the final boss for the game. She is a slow moving fortress of cuteness and I love it. I started reading this a few years back when the English translations were first coming out and I got caught up super quick. I picked it up again when I was stuck on a challenge needing a shield on the cover. I remembered this one and my noodle arm of resistance got twisted again.
Now for all the manga and comics
Dragon Ball (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 7: Includes vols. 19, 20 & 21 -4 StarsThis series is now literally a sci-fi with everyone going to space. How did we get here again? It's wild looking at where things are now versus how this series started. This is the end of the fight against Vegeta and the introduction of Frieza. This is definitely in the realm of new material but it's not completely new just due to pop culture osmosis. DBZ was massive and it feels inescapable in the anime community. Not in a bad way or anything, it's just this juggernaut that is always there.
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Deluxe Edition 5 -5 StarsThis is the final book in this series and I feel like I took away a totally different message from what seems to be the main one I see. I totally see the ones about the beauty of nature and the simplicity of small town life that others see. I also felt there was this depressing message of the inevitable flow of time. How it stops for no one and that nothing will be forever. Our MC is an android who never ages so we don't see the passage of time in her but we see it in everything around her. How the small town she lives in is getting reclaimed by nature, how her cafe will be eventually swallowed by the sea, etc. There are characters we start the series with seeing them as young teens who by the end have moved away for work, gotten married, and have had children of their own that comes back to see the MC. Not as infants but as children themself. I also noticed that by the end all the old folk in town were missing. I'm not sure if that was just a story thing or if they too fell victim to times relentless pace. It's a beautiful series that I am so glad that I have read but man was I little blue after finishing it. Partially because of what I talked about here, partially because it was over. If your into manga and you are into slice of life stories like I am then I recommend this series. It's a classic for a reason and the recent omnibus re-release of the story makes it pretty accessible.
SAKAMOTO DAYS 13 -5 StarsI have gushed, more then a few times, about how amazing the action in this series is but this volume was just beautiful when it came to its action scenes. I highly doubt that we will get this far in the anime adaptation coming out next year but this is one I want to see on a screen. This volume was a flashback to when Sakamoto was in assassination school and the action was just mind blowing. I know I'm kind of repeating myself here but it really stuck with me. There was more then a few times where I had to take a break just to process what I just read. This volume was just amazing.
His Majesty the Demon King's Housekeeper Vol. 6 -3 StarsThis was more of this series. The MC cleaned, more aspects of the world were explored, and the budding romance got nudged along. Not a bad series but not mind blowing either.
Space-Mullet -3 StarsThis was towards the end of Saturday and the first of a couple of books that I wouldn't call duds but they left me in a bit of a funk. Both books were random snags from the library that seemed interesting. This comic started out strong with this ex-space marine turned trucker getting pulled into this conspiracy involving a video about the mission that led to him going AWOL. The book, while cliche, started out strong and I felt invested in what was going on. The art style even started to grow on me. Then the first part of the story line wrapped up and it just started this spiral in meh that it never recovered from. What started out so strong eventually ended on this weak story about mold on the ship. We just kept adding characters without fleshing out the ones that were already there. The story that was there in the beginning just faded away. From what I understand this is the authors first attempt at a comic and this was originally a webcomic. The last half of the comic never got published and I'll be honest I have no interest in trying to find it online. Just meh over all.
Brielle and Bear: Once Upon a Time -3 StarsThis was the other comic that left me feeling in a bit of a funk. I snagged this one because it seemed like something right up my alley and on paper, it should have been. It's this sweet romance about two opposites finding each other and romance along the way. I don't know how to explain this properly but none of this comic clicked with me. Not the characters, not the romance, not the setting, not the art style, nothing. I don't think it was bad though, I can even see how this could be really popular with people, but for me, this was just underwhelming. I never felt a bond with the characters and there were elements of the romance that just didn't sit right with me. It just left me feeling meh by the end.
I Married My Female Friend Vol. 3 -4 StarsMore from this sweet slice of life romance and it was nice. There was a new character introduced, the romance made some progress, it was just sweet and what I liked about this series.
Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord, Vol. 3 (Volume 3) -5 StarsI love this series and the romance in it. The story moves forward in this one and we get a confession in this one. I really do love the pacing in this series, it just makes everything feel so much sweeter.
One Piece, Volume 3: Don't Get Fooled Again -4 StarsThis marks the end of the Buggy arc and the start of the Syrup Village arc. I've watched/read much further ahead in the series so it's interesting to revist the beginning and to catch things that you won't see fully explained until much, much, much further in the series. Like the first sighting of Silvers Rayleigh. He isn't named but he is there on the page and you recognize him when you see him. Like I mentioned this is also the start of Syrup Village and the introduction of Usopp. I kind of have some mixed feelings about this arc really. There are elements of the story I don't mind and there are elements that I'm just not as stoked for. Mainly, early Usopp.
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You 03 -4 StarsAnother chill slice of life romance, listen, I was on a kick lately and I had a bunch of these come in all at once. I truly love this series and the budding romance between these two idiots. It's more smoking, more supermarket, more shenanigans, and a new character. The worst part about this was realizing that I am now caught up and that there won't be more for a while.
Hirayasumi, Vol. 1 -4 StarsThis was me rolling the dice and taking a chance with an unknown series. This is a slice of life about a man in his late twenties living in Tokyo with little a care in the world. There is also his young cousin who is attending art college and ends up moving in with him. Maybe this was some PTSD but I was really worried about some weird romance vibes popping up but nope. It's about two different people living their life and finding their way. The young man works a part time job and truly marches to the beat of his own drum. He lives life at a much slower pace then those around him and it is interesting. As for the young cousin, it's a story about a young person from a small town being overwhelmed by a massive city like Tokyo, about going to college and trying to fit in, etc. There are some truly heartfelt moments in this series and I really want to continue. Like many on this list though there are not a lot of these out yet and I don't think it will take me long to catch up.
I Want to be a Wall, Vol. 1 -3 StarsThis is a book about a relationship but not so much a romantic one and I'll explain why here in a second. This book opens with two young people getting married but you quickly learn that these two people know little of each other and this is more of a marriage of convenience. The young man is gay and has an unrequited crush on his childhood friend, and the woman is asexual with a BL (boys love) addiction (this part is explained in a good way). Most of this volume is about their back story and a bit about the challenges they face as two strangers now living as a married couple. I have some weird feelings about this one. I think this could be a good trilogy but this first volume left me wanting in a bad way. I appreciate the back stories and the glimpse into their life but the big thing I was missing was just how this all came to be. From their backstories, and what we see in present day, they appear to be strangers so how did this all come to be. How did they meet? Why the marriage? The volume is pretty short and I just wish it could have been a bit longer to explain this import part of their story. Overall there was enough there to hook me in and considering it's a trilogy I will read the other two volumes.
There, I'm caught up on my week. I warned you it was a lot. As for what is next there isn't a lot there. I'm still working on the Shannara novel, I'm about 25% of the way into it or about 6 hours currently. Outside of that I got a little click happy at the library and I've replaced my giant stack of things with another giant stack of things. I think this is a common story amongst those of us who use the library a lot.
Was hoping you guys might have some recommendations for me as to what to read next as I'm almost done with my current audiobook and a bit stuck. I don't want another historical fiction as I've just done two back to back, I'd ideally prefer something on the shorter side, between 8-12 hours listen and preferably not something too heavy as the book I'm about to finish is a WWII book. I'm pretty open when it comes to genre, nothing romance or horror-or at least not super gory horror, if it's like creepy, supernatural vibes I can do that but other than that, I'm open to most books.
Mod
Gord so much manga! At least most of it seems to have been good though! Yeah... the neverending library stack is definitely a thing
Mod
I really enjoyed this one and the audio is great as it is read by Saskia Maarleveld and its just over 9 hours long
Mod
welcome! Hope you love it too
I have more suggestions if you need
Brittany wrote: "Jo wrote: "Oh that does sound good, thank you!"welcome! Hope you love it too
I have more suggestions if you need"
Thanks I will let you know!
Finished
today and I really enjoyed it, it's very much in the vein of The Last Bookshop In London so if you liked that, you'll definitely like this one. Moving onto Brittany's suggestion for me next,
.
YA Addicted Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Mistborn: The Final Empire (other topics)Assistant to the Villain (other topics)
Apprentice to the Villain (other topics)
Candy Cain Kills Again: The Second Slaying (other topics)
Candy Cain Kills (other topics)
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It was not easy finding a book set in Minneapolis but I settled on this one. It wasn't a bad book, it was just a bog standard mystery, but with a magic twist. Magic as in stage magic and not fantasy magic either. Considering what I normally read I felt I might want to clarify that one. I really don't have a whole lot to say about this book. It was entertaining but it didn't blow my socks off either.
If you have been following me for long enough you might have seen me talking about this book/series before. I'm going to be brutally honest here, this is your standard isekai novel. MC logs into a VRMMO, wakes up in a fantasy world, starts their new life there. MC is, of course, over powered to the point that nothing is ever a threat to them. There is "tension" but basically the MC is so over powered that this basically becomes a slice of life. For some reason this series just lands for me though and I love it so much. I've read fan translations of the webnovel, the manga, the light novel, and I've watched the anime. This series is pure mindless fluff and I love it for that. I've started yet another reread of this series so expect to see more of this in the future.
Now for the other stuff.
This is a perfect shining example of everything I enjoy and yet hate about horror. Basically a plane load of social influencers crash in the Northern woods and have to survive but there is a killer in the woods that they don't know about. The killer picks them off one by one until you have the final girl who survives. I love the aesthetics of horror but this was about as deep as a puddle on a hot sidewalk. You might as well have cardboard cutouts move from trope to trope. Everything about this book was just a trope. The setting, the victims, the killer, the plot, everything. This might not be so bad if there was anything done to explore those tropes, to elevate those tropes, to subvert them, anything at all to give it something extra but it doesn't. It's just "we are in the second act so we need the nerd, the jock, and the goth over here. The killer is going to kill the hot one over there.". This is just plain white bread that hasn't even been toasted yet. Your book can't be even remotely scary if we have already seen it a thousand times already.
For the anime this book would have been the transition from Dragon Ball to Dragon Ball Z and I love the way this transition was handled. It felt like a bit of a tonal shift from something more goofy to something more serious. It was a pivot from essentially fantasy to something much more sci-fi. It immediately set up the new threat and how scary they were. It immediately got rid of the safety net by removing the ability to keep resurrecting people with the Dragon Balls. All of this was handled with in world explanations and a surgical use of the amnesia trope. While reading this I was blown away by how well this was all handled. I was very impressed with this book and I'm excited to see where this all goes.
Now, what is next
I'm a little over halfway through this audiobook and I am enjoying it so far. I really can't wait to start getting some explanations for what is happening in this book.
I will need another audiobook after this one but I currently have nothing lined up and no plans, yet.
As for things that are not audiobooks I have The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent (Light Novel) Vol. 6 next and then some more manga.