YA Addicted Book Club discussion
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What are you reading 2025
Time for that weekly update and this has been an odd week of weirdness and exciting books.
Dungeon Crawler Carl -5 StarsIt has been a long time since I've been this hype for a book and I'm so glad that it lived up to the hype for me. This book has been on my radar for a while now but it was inaccessible for me because it was indie published. Recently this series got picked up by a traditional publisher and got a wide rerelease which means libraries could get it as well. It was about this time that the book started popping up on my radar in a really big way. The more I was seeing about this book the more hype I got. I set aside a full week to read this book as it was 450 pages and I devoured it in two days. Some sleep may have been sacrificed along the way. This is one of those books that just felt like it was written for me. I clicked with this book very early on and I was fully onboard for the ride. The humor was weird and absurd (llama meth), there was some great world building, and there was some great foreshadowing. At it's core it is a silly dumb action novel using video game logic but there is just so much more to this and I really can't wait for the next book. Also, I'm really hoping that this is the Legends&Lattes moment for the LitRPG genre and we start seeing more of these books get picked up by traditional publishers.
Skydark -3 StarsNow we start getting into the weird. This is a series that I have been slowly picking away at for a few years now. I treat them like junk food and pick one up when I need a break from my normal reading. I really don't have a lot to say about this book in general as it is yet another book in this super long series. There are guns, explosions, mutants, adult language, and people just generally being the worst of humanity. Now what was weird about this book is that it felt really familiar. Like I read this book before levels of familiar. I'm not sure if this might have been one of those books I read as a teen or if they recycled the plot which is a possibility. The story isn't 100% what I remember and I'm not sure if that is just my faulty memory or those are just the elements they changed from another book.
Now for the manga
The Lady Knight and the Beast-Eared Child Vol. 1 -3 StarsBrace yourself, I read one volume of this manga and I'm dropping this one. I know, I know, this is a weird thing to see happen when it comes to me but I'll explain why. This manga can be broken into three parts for me, the good, the mid, and the ick.
The good, the artwork in this manga is amazing. The armor design, the monster design, the character design, all of it was just amazing.
The mid, the story itself. This was more like a collection of little vignettes about the relationship between the master and her apprentice. After reading this though I just don't feel like I know anything about anyone or the world. We get some basic stuff but there is just so much that is just left unexplained.
The ick, oneexshota. Nope, not explaining that one for the normal folks. Listen, this book isn't explicit in anyway or do anything really bad but man does it give some really ick vibes to it. It's the power dynamic in their relationship. The master and apprentice thing, the blushed looks she gives him, etc. It's not even every chapter either. Some chapters are just wholesome training moments or what not. Then we have some chapters that just give me the icks. This alone is the biggest reason why I'm dropping this series. Not yucking anyone's yum but this is not for me.
The World After the Fall, Vol. 1 -3 StarsBrace yourself, this is another new series that I am dropping after only one volume. After Solo Leveling and Tomb Raider King in the last year I've had a certain itch for exploring some more Korean Manhwa and stumbled across this one at the library. It kind of started with a story element I've come to expect from a Manhwa series. Mysterious towers suddenly appear all around the world and certain people are selected, with video game interfaces, to be tower walkers. People who go into these towers to fight the monsters and save humanity. At this point I was all on board. Then it felt like the story hit the fast forward button and I was just left confused and lost. We are suddenly on floor 90 something of the 100 floors in the tower. Most of humanity is gone, most of the tower walkers are gone. A few pages later it's just the MC left, then ten years blow by, then a few more, then we are at the top of tower. What is even going on? Then we get to all the talking at the top of the tower with the big boss and I'm even more lost. A lot of this conversation started to feel like it was taking on some super edge lord elements as well. If I don't belief hard enough I can break the system and awaken my own powers free from the system. What? Just, what? I don't think this is a bad idea or a bad story but the delivery was horrible. My library doesn't have any more in this series which helped me decide to drop this one but there is a chance I could return. Maybe a reread will help me understand things better?
Tomb Raider King, Vol. 9 -4 StarsMore in this series and more relics. Not a lot to really say except that there was a certain scene in this one that really stretched the suspension of disbelief. Enough for me to put the book down and go "what?". Not enough to drop the series or anything but enough to give me pause.
Don't Call it Mystery (Omnibus) Vol. 11-12 -4 StarsThis single volume really was a great slice of what this series is. We have elements that advanced the overarching mystery, we had small little self contained stories, and then we have the next big mystery arc. Of course this volume ends right in the middle of said big mystery arc leaving me hanging until the next volume comes out in June and then I am fully caught up for now. I am so invested in this series now and I just want to keep reading more. There are so many story elements that I am hooked into and want answers for. June is a long way off alright, and then I have to wait for my library to buy a copy.
As for what is next.
Forbidden City My next audiobook and the next book in the City Spies series
The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Vol. 4: Dabit Deus His Quoque Finem Finally time to tackle this beast.
I'm not sure how long Tanya will take me to get through so that is all I'm committing to for now. If I finish early then I have a few manga from the library I need to read.
Brittany wrote: "Have you read the 2nd one Elena??"Not yet, but it's pretty high on my list. Once it's available in my library, will start it 100%.
Mod
Manga wise, too bad that such a well drawn manga has such a meh story and ickiness to it, but good you only read one volume at least.
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Not yet, but it's pretty high on my list. Once it's available in my library, will start it 100%."
Fair! That is why it took me until now to get to it also, waiting on the library. Cant wait for the third one
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Recently finished
3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fun rom com, really easy to read and starts off with some hilarity. 
5 stars, loved this and wanted to jump right into book 2 but library books...Currently working on
Audio:
Ebook:
Physical
When not at work I don't read a lot of my ebook so even though I'm enjoying it, its slow going
How is The Book of Doors audio? I'm thinking of maybe listening to that one next, if I don't go straight from The Mask Falling into The Dark Mirror which is...a distinct possibility.
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I also loved the Rebel of the Sands series so you're reading 2 of my faves.
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- 5 stars. Even though this year I decided to sta..."Re-reading is always a good way to go. And that is amazing that you are reading it in German!
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Dungeon Crawler Carl -5 StarsIt has been a l..."
I always look forward to your updates because I always find some good manga recommendations... or manga I should stay away from 😆 lol
Mod
Recently finished
3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fun r..."Hurray for more reading! I totally feel you on that backlog of reviews to write though 😅 Lol. Literally me on a yearly basis 😂 Nice variety of books though!
I don't have a massive amount to talk about this week as it has been a thing the last week. 
The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Vol. 4: Dabit Deus His Quoque Finem -3 StarsIn this volume we finally get the start of the Eastern front and the entrance of the not-Soviet Union into the war. We got the initial shots of the war, Tanya's invasion of not-Moscow, and the fall out from that. This book was fine but I think I am done with this series, at least for now. I love the concept of the book, I love the setting, I love the characters, but the writing in this book just turns everything into a giant slog. I can even appreciate what the book is trying to do with the writing style itself. How the book is trying to be more of a journal of the conflict then an actual novel. The problem is that it really makes for a dry read and I'm not sure if the perspective matches the goal. This is supposed to be a journal of Tanya but we spend so much time looking at the perspective of everyone else. For instance, the invasion of not-Moscow, this is supposed to be this big event in this world, a game changer for the world and a slap in the face to the not-Soviet Union. We do spend some time seeing what happened from Tanya's point of view but also spend a ton of time seeing the point of view of the command headquarters, not-England, not-Soviet Union, etc, etc, etc, etc. It just makes for this really weird pacing. Tanya gets the green light to proceed with the mission and instead of immediately cutting to that we then spend several chapters getting the point of view from all this other places before the big action. We then spend a chapter or two covering the invasion and then several chapters seeing the fall out from point of views of all these other places. Outside of that this book was just jumping all over the place. We had the start of the war, the invasion of not-Moscow, another mission, then suddenly Tanya is getting court-martialed, then we are suddenly on the Western front attacking not-England, back in the rear, it just kept jumping all over the place all while maintaining the plodding pace the entire time. Like I said, I'm done for now, maybe I'll come back later but from what I've read the writing never really changes.
Forbidden City -4 StarsThe next book in the City Spies series and it's another solid book. We have a defecting North Korean nuclear scientist, chess games in Russia and China, boy bands, and of course Umbra. I'd say my only real criticism of the book was yet another conflict between Brooklyn and Sydney. It's a super minor thing and is more of sub-subplot but it just felt like covering ground the series already covered in the previous novel and just why did it have to be these two again. It's super minor and didn't take a whole lot of book space but it just felt weird. I'm looking forward to the next one as usual and can't wait for it.
Now for the manga.
Case Closed, Vol. 2 -3 StarsAfter a stupidly long wait, not getting into why, I am finally back to this series and it was what I expected. Some classic mystery tropes, some classic gadgets, and some weirdly intense action scenes. I did not expect to see Ran drop kick a man in the head through the glass window of a car. That was fun. Much like old One Piece this has the Western versions of the names, Ran becomes Rachel for instance, and I wish they hadn't done that but I understand that it was a different time. Just a fun read and now that the library issues are sorted out I can continue on with this massive read through.
SAKAMOTO DAYS 15 -4 StarsThe latest issue in this series and more great assassin action adventures. It really feels like the series is finally building to a big climax which then makes me wonder what comes next. This entire series has been essentially this one long story line and what happens when it is done? Is that it for the series? Will there be a new threat revealed? Will the author be forced to keep writing it because of popularity? It's still far from done but it feels like it is being positioned for the end game. Regardless, it's still fun and it's back to waiting for the next volume to come out.
Heroine? Saint? No, I'm an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)! (Manga) Vol. 1 -4 StarsThis, this right here is a great example of why I love manga. Some manga I read for the amazing story, some for the amazing characters, some for the amazing art, and some for a combination of those things. Then there are manga like this and I can only describe this manga as dumb. Pure dumb fun. Let me see if I can describe this manga in such a way as to to do it justice. Yes, it is another Isekai manga. Our MC is a reincarnation of a child prodigy from our world but not just any child prodigy. No, this child prodigy was also a massive maid otaku and wants to be a maid. She actual dies on a plane trip to England to start her maid training. She then wakes up in another world that is medieval in setting, because why not, and of course maids are in high demand. After several years her new mother dies, because of course, and on her death bed reveals that she is the secret love child of nobility and she has a choice. She can either track down her father and live a comfortable life or become the best maid ever. Guess what option or MC chose. This is an Isekai though and she can't be just any maid she has to be the greatest maid ever and she of course, conveniently, has super magic abilities. Not just any magic though, no, she has more magic power then anyone in this world and could crush entire kingdoms if she wanted. The things is she has no idea about any of this and just uses her new magic abilities to be a super maid. But wait, there is another twist, and you wont see this one coming, this world is also inspired by an Otome game. Why? Because their were otome game fans on her plane that crashed and that influenced this world. So she is also a path in an otome game story line now. This manga feels like the author just took a bunch of their favorite elements, tossed them in a blender, and hit blend. I love this thing, I love it so much. It's just so much dumb fun. I really, really, want to find the light novel this based on as I feel that it will be right up there with things like Kuma Bear and Bofuri for me.
Now, what is next. Honestly, the next few weeks are going to be chaotic as I try to keep on top of all my library books and participate in a team reading challenge I signed up for.
Hide and Seeker My current read
Death in D Minor My team challenge book
The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting Due date is coming soon
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes Another due date coming soon
Mod
Heroine? Saint? No, I'm an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)! your description of this makes me intrigued
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I've started it on audio, but I'm not really feeling the narrators. Wondering if anyone has read it what they thought and if I should switch to the physical book
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5 stars. I loved this book. The idea of a book of doors that could take you anywhere was just so cool and I liked this story's take on time travel.
2.5 stars. Really disappointed with this one. Not having time on dig sites hurt it as did the lack of magic and artifacts in general. Also found the love story unbelievable. 
3 stars. It was, fine. The puzzles and escape room style game was cool. The characters are okay but didn't have as much depth as I'd hope. Plus the nature of this story made this book feel incomplete without the second one. Not in a cliffhanger way, just not enough happening. Ill still read the next one probably...
3.5 stars. Fun, novella sized genre mash-up of a book. Sapphic sci-fi cozy mystery set in the future with the occasional feel of historical fiction due to the looking at how to recreate things from Earth. 
4 stars. Serial Killer romance. I enjoyed this more than expected. There's dark moments but also more. Plus the humour was fun. It just worked for me and Ill read the next one.
5 stars. This was even better than book 1. Loving this series.
Mod
Yeahhhh it's just jarring. It's available through KU so I'm going to give it a go on ebook instead.
Brittany wrote: "What does 2025 have in store for you reading wise?"Hoping to actually hit my reading goal this year.
Mod
Yeahhhh it's just jarring. It's available through KU so I'm going to give it a go on ebook instead."
Sounds like a good plan
Brittany wrote: "Since I last posted I've finished these: 5 stars. I loved this book. The idea of a book of doors that could take you anywhere was just so cool and I liked t..."Wow, so nice to see different thoughts on the book I liked (talking about The Grandest Game), actually I enjoyed it more that some of the latest books in the original series. But I agree with your thoughts.
This time it’s like a rollercoaster. Some books were amazing, others… not so much.
- 3 stars. It’s becoming repetitive and boring. At this point I’m disappointed, I thought the series is way better than it really is.
- 1 star. A book about nothing? Yep, exactly that.
- 5 stars. My first Sanderson this year and I enjoyed it a lot. Tress is such a loveable character. She seems to be average, but actually is extraordinary, love her! The other thing I adore is the setting, my weak spot is all kinds of sea / ocean / pirates plots. There is something mysterious and particularly charming about fantasy sea settings.
- 4 stars. Recently I’ve been so into middle grade fantasy, don’t even know why, but it’s so wholesome and cozy. I guess I’m just tired of the either smut or brutal fantasy books I’ve been running into. Once romantasy genre was discovered, the quality of fantasy books dropped unfortunately.
- 3 stars. It was a recommendation, but I didn't enjoy it much. The story is unique and interesting, and also brutal and honest. The writing style is very suitable, but I didn’t connect with the characters or the plot. Sad, the book is good, just not for me.
- 4 stars. I know that I didn’t want to read more books in the series. But this one is different, the main characters are different, the perspectives also shifted, and I actually like it better than some books of the original series. Though I’m not a huge fan of the games themselves, I loved the setting and the characters development. Loved to learn more about Juliett and Grayson. And that ending, such a cliffhanger! I’m eager to learn what's next.
- 3 stars. I was excited to read this book and expected a lot. And… was disappointed. The book is ok-ish in all aspects: average characters, not really engaging and linear plot, nice writing style, no twists, no unpredictable or gripping moments. Just a tasteless book about witches. Now I don’t even know why I even finished it.
- 5 stars. Oh my! I want to scream how good it is! Such a great manga. I was craving something like this without even knowing it.
- 3 stars. For the whole book I was waiting for the big secret to come out and the drama to happen. And when it finally happened, it was so weak from the drama standpoint. Compared to the tension, the culmination is nothing special. Overall it’s a nice and light romance with a decent writing style. Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it either.
- 4 stars. One more middle grade book, so sweet and wholesome. Loved and enjoyed it a lot. My favorite thing was the atmosphere and the feeling it created, with all the kindness and warmth, perfect book for winter cozy nights.
I'm going to get started on this early so I can get to my new reads. 
Death in D Minor -3 StarsI recently joined a team challenge and this week was the first week. Of course nothing I had from the library worked for the first week and that is what lead to this book. I kind of remember the first one in this series and I feel that this more or less kept the same kind of beats. Small town Ireland, ghosts, fine arts, etc. The one thing that was a little odd with this one, and I think a first in my reading experience, was that the fine arts was embroidery. Specifically the collection of historical pieces of it. A lot of this mystery revolved around forgeries before the inevitable bodies start to pile up. It was another cozy mystery, it wasn't horrible but it also didn't rock my world either. This series will now go back on the shelf until the next time I need it for a challenge.
Hide and Seeker -3 StarsA middle grade horror novel based around the game of hide and seek. This novel started out pretty strong and immediately got into establishing a strong group of friends and, of course, the spooks. I was actually surprised how quickly this escalated straight into the horror aspects of this novel. This book remained pretty good until the ending and the ending itself wasn't horrible but it left me with a lot of questions. I feel like a lot of the horror aspects just weren't really explained and it was just there to be spooky which isn't horrible but my lore loving ways wants to know more. How did this start? Why did it start? What are the rules? What about all the hints to other things? This was also a book that could have used an epilogue as there were a couple plot points that I felt never got a proper conclusion, in my opinion. Also, I'm not a fan of the "sequel baiting" kind of ending either. Where the piece of entertainment ends in such a way as to hint that it all might not actually be over. Again, there is a time and a place for it, but not in a stand alone novel on top of the unresolved plot points I mentioned before. Honestly, the more I've thought about this book since I finished it the more I've kind of soured towards the ending.
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes -4 StarsI've really come to love this weird little subgenre of books that I stumbled into. The stories are, being honest here, rather repetitive in their structure, but I love what it is doing. In this series we have a restaurant that offers a detective service for those looking to track down a particular dish. Someone comes in, they enjoy a wonderful meal, we get an explanation of what dish they are looking for and why, cut forward two weeks, customer returns for the dish they asked for, the food is served with an emotional explanation of the dish. That is the essential setup for each and every story but these stories do such a wonderful job capturing the memories and joys of food. Not the joys of food as in how a fancy five star dish can excite the senses or what not but how nostalgia and the smaller aspects of food can excite a person. This could be a local twist on the dish, how it was served, how it was prepared, the setting it was served in, etc. A lot of these stories revolve around family and nostalgia and the simplicity in how these stories are told is such a treat. You know our MC's will find the dish, you know the dish will be exactly what the client was looking forward to, but it's the explanations, the personal connections, the simple joy tied to that dish that just makes this special. This type of book is not for everyone but man I am loving my experience with them. Them being spaced out due to publishing dates and library holds also helps. This is not something like DCC where you want to marathon the books because of how exciting they are. This is the type of book that is enjoyed once in a while in smaller portions.
The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting -4 StarsFull disclosure, I picked this book up because of title alone. Yes, I am that shallow at times but you got to admit there are times where the title is enough to just sell you on the book. Sometimes you get something good, sometimes you question your taste in titles. This one was definitely one of the good ones. It's a YA book about a secret world of talented individuals living amongst us. These talents are strength, speed, accuracy, explosion, and the super rare, and feared, defense. These are obviously not the names that the book used but that is basically what they are. Our MC is one of those with the defense talent and has been living a secret life since her parents were assassinated. Hiding her powers while training for revenge kind of idea. All of this gets flipped on its head when a babysitting gig our MC is dragged into goes sideways and she finds herself stuck with an infant and on the run. This of course had similarities to her own experiences and led to massive discoveries within this secret community. This entire book gave me strong Jennifer Estep vibes which is not a bad thing for me. I find her books to be the perfect popcorn style of books. I'm actually kind of surprised that this book was a standalone as there is enough there that you could probably make a series, or take the events and make them into a trilogy, or something. At the same time I also appreciate that it was a standalone.
Alright, that's it, no manga or anything else but it has been a busy week. I don't remember the last time I crushed out four novels in a week. As for next week, it's even crazier. I have a giant stack of things that I can't renew at the library that I need to complete. I don't think I will have time for an audiobook this week which feels kind of weird. I haven't had a week without an audiobook for years now. I'll see how the week goes and what comes in from the library. Maybe I'll grab something short to listen to while I work.
The Pumpkin Spice Café
Red Sonja: Consumed
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Vol. 2
Dragon Ball (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 10: Includes vols. 28, 29 & 30
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 4—Diamond Is Unbreakable, Vol. 2
Manhole Volume 1
Mod
5 stars. I loved this book. The idea of a book of doors that could take you anywhere was just so c..."Elena I agree always fun to see what other people thought! I didn't love the 3 new relationships that are being set up either. Feels a little forced.
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The romantasy genre was always there, its just so popular now. I'm not sure I agree that is a cause for less quality fantasy. I think it's just that there is so much more out there it can be harder to find a gem of a book.
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I'm just on that novel grind right now. Not really planned but you roll with the punches when you are dealing with the library.
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Time for that first weekly update for a new month. It has been an odd week of reading for me. No audiobooks, more novels, etc. 
The Pumpkin Spice Café ⭐⭐⭐I've been seeing this book everywhere for a while now so when my library brought in a copy I decided to give it a try. After finishing the book I can understand the hype around it but it is simply not a romance novel for me. This book just tapped into to many of the tropes that I just don't enjoy from a romance story. Instalove, miscommunication, third act misunderstanding, etc. It's a cozy romance novel stuffed full of Fall vibes and if you enjoyed it, cool. As for me, I won't be continuing on with this one.
Red Sonja: Consumed ⭐⭐⭐This was another book I spotted in the "on order" queue at the library and I knew I had to try it. I have a bit of a weird history with Red Sonja. I'm aware of the connections to Robert E. Howard, I've read most of the novels from the early 80's, but I've never really dived into the more modern stuff. A lot of it comes down to the usual issue I have with comics, where do I even start? Also, this is going to maybe sound weird, but I really don't like that stupid chain mail bikini thing that all the comics seem to love. I know why it's done, sexy woman on the cover and in the comic, but it just feels so out of place with the character I've experienced. I really wasn't sure what to expect heading into this novel. Did I need to have previous experience with the comics? How did my archaic knowledge of the character factor in? Stuff like that.
After finishing this book I can say that it was just alright. It was interesting to see something more sword and board related in a modern book. I loved several of the tropes that were used in the novel. I loved that it wasn't just another origin story but it also took the time to explain who the character was for new readers. This brings me to the main problem I had with the novel, Rod Sonja herself. Not so much with the character but how she was written. This book loved to hype her up. That she was this fierce warrior woman of legend. The mere mention of her name was enough to make kings shake in their boots. I loved all of that and that was what I wanted. The character that was shown to us though did not match the hype that we were being told. She is this warrior woman of legend who is then ambushed by small children. She is this fearsome devil who spends most of the book moping about and lamenting a lost love. It just created this incredibly frustrating feeling as I wanted to see these legendary exploits and we would just get more moping. We finally got to see it towards the end of the book but by then it was to late, in my opinion. Now, don't get me wrong, when the next book comes out I will be there to give it a read. I'm hoping that in the next book maybe things will hit their stride a little quicker and we get more of that epic adventure I like from a sword and board.
Now for the manga (you didn't really think I was done did you?)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 4—Diamond Is Unbreakable, Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐It felt good getting back to this series and just manga in general. This omnibus felt like it was much more focused on Koichi and his growth. Figuring out his stand, how to use it, etc. It also introduced a side character that was absolutely terrifying in my opinion and that character was Yukako Yamagishi. This young woman just hit all my nope buttons at the same time. Her stand is hair based like a Japanese ghost and she is like a mixture between a Yandere and Misery Chastain. She was terrifying and she made the second half of this story such a fun read. I really can't wait for the next one.
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐I'm really curious where this series is going to go. A big theme in the first book was her finding and capturing the cards. In this one it really feels like we are speed running the new cards and it's making me wonder what comes next. What are we going to do with these new cards? Where is the story going? I also had a moment where I had to pause and just soak in the art. The splash pages at the start of a chapter were simply amazing and I love the art style of Clamp.
Manhole Volume 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐I saw this one at the library and figured I'd try a new manga horror series. While technically this series is a horror novel I much prefer the author's description which is biohazard thriller. It just feels like it fits this book so much better. As you can guess from my description this book is about an infection getting out into the general public and police trying to find the source of it because the release was very intentional. This book covers the very early stages of the outbreak and I'm sure it's going to only get more bleak. The manga had much more realistic art style and it just works so well with this story. I am really interested in this series and can't wait for the next volume.
The Great Cleric (Manga) Vol. 12 ⭐⭐⭐⭐My final manga of the week and it's one I don't have a lot to really say about this one. It's more of what I would expect from this series and it was just a quick fun read. I really need to get around to reading the novels at some point.
Now, what is next
Before Your Memory Fades This is my next audiobook and if I'm being honest here, I'm not sure if I'm really in the mood for it. This is a really emotional series and I just don't know if I have it in me this week.
Carl's Doomsday Scenario I am so excited for this one
The Moon on a Rainy Night Vol. 6 This is also coming due this week
Mod
Im excited for you to read DCC2
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My February Wrap Up
- 4*
- 2.5*
- 5*
- 2*
- 3.5*
- 4.5*
- 3.5*
- 2.5*I had a pretty good month. The Crimson Moth was definitely my favourite of the month, closely followed by Firebird.
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Too bad you had some not so great ones in there
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Too bad you had some not so great ones in there"
To be fair I don't actually rate that many books 5* anymore. Not since I introduced half star ratings. The only reason I've had so many so far this year is a re-read a favourite series so that whole series was naturally 5* for me as I already loved it.
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Finished
yesterday, I would have finished it a bit earlier but my USB-C adaptor for my headphones blew out on me the other weekend so I lost a couple days whilst waiting for a new one. I really enjoyed it, audiobook was definitely the way to go! Alana Kerr Collins is an excellent narrator and everything was for sure ramping up in this instalment. The cliffhanger was evil so of course I have immediately moved on to the latest instalment in the series,
as my next audio.
It has been a busy week of reading but I'm I'm finally in a position, even if only for a little while, where I'm not chasing that weekly library due date. 
Carl's Doomsday Scenario ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Where to start with this chaotic ball of chaos? Like the first book I just can't shake this feeling that the book was written for me. The storytelling, the humor, the action, the characters, it's all here and it's just landing right for me. This book covered the entire events of the third floor with so much happening in this book and it felt like it dabbled in a little bit of everything. Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, it's all stuffed into this one book. Carl and Princess Donut cause chaos where ever they are. Sometimes it is intentional but more often than not it's entirely unscripted and the results are hilarious. I also love how this book is expanding the world without it feeling dense and thick. It can show you the events of an entire galaxy without it feeling like I need to go to university for an entire course so you can understand things. There are also some great character moments between Carl and Princess Donut when they aren't destroying everything around them. This book just hits on a lot of different levels for me and I am enjoying the ride. I can't wait for the next book.
Ghost in the Headlights ⭐⭐⭐⭐After finishing up Hide and Seeker a few weeks back I found myself with an itch for some more MG/YA horror. I'm not sure how I ended up on this book but it's a ghost story and I figured I'd give it a try. I wasn't expecting a whole lot heading into this book but what I got was a real treat. The premise of the book is really simple. Young girl has to go live with her uncle for a couple months while her mom does some work training for a new role. Uncle lives outside of this small town in Pennsylvania and of course, like any small town, it has a local ghost story. Our MC can of course see the ghost and over the course of the book helps the ghost find peace by solving the mystery surrounding their death. This book came out in 2021 and yet there is this timeless and nostalgic feeling about this book. This felt like a ghost story I would have read when I was kid and I think that is what really makes this great. The book just had this feeling of tapping into the basic ghost story vibe that we all know. That feeling when you are young and reading a spooky story, or sitting around a campfire swapping stories. This was a standalone book but I was so impressed with it that I went out and requested another spooky book from the same author. I want to see if they have found the secret formula to a good spooky book.
Grendel's Curse ⭐⭐⭐I had another audiobook planned for this week but I was just not in the mood for it and settled on this instead. There is really not a lot to say about this one. It has swords, archeology, action, it's what I would expect from this book. It was a little awkward at the beginning though as it started out a political rally for some really similar sounding talking points to current events. Once it got past that though it settled into the usual fare for one of these books.
Now for the manga/comics of the week
Saphie the One-Eyed Cat Volume 1 ⭐⭐⭐This is a Webtoon comic that ended several years ago so I was surprised to see it get a physical release. I remember this comic being a regular part of my week where I would tune in twice a week to read the latest comic. This comic is about the life of four cats and the family that takes care of them. There is really not a lot more then that to say about it. I felt that this volume suffered from what a lot of these slice of life Webtoons suffer from. These comics are great to read in small doses, once or twice a week kind of idea. When that gets condensed down into a printed form it somehow loses it's charm. It's hard to explain for me but if I'm reading this weekly each comic is only a couple minutes for me to read. I get a smile, I enjoy seeing the characters, etc. With a printed form it just feels like that small dose charm is gone. Yes, you can marathon the comic online but again, it's broken down into individual comics. I can read four or five and then take a break or whatever I want to do. Maybe this is just a me problem but I am not having a lot of luck with this type Webtoon Unscrolled comic.
The Moon on a Rainy Night Vol. 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐More sweetness in the latest volume of this manga. I'm kind of wishing the series would just rip the bandage off already and address the elephant in the room. I'm not saying that they need to start dating or anything but at least discuss what is happening because right now it feels like everyone is just avoiding the super obvious elephant in the room.
The God of High School Volume Three: A WEBTOON Unscrolled Graphic Novel ⭐⭐⭐⭐Yes, another Webtoon Unscrolled, this was not planned either but man I am loving my read through of this series. This book essentially covered one fight this time. Yes, there was some other stuff leading up to that fight but this was the Seoul final and the big fight between Mori Jin and Daewi Han. This was a brutal slug fest and a showcase of both characters bringing out their biggest and best moves at this time. Now to wait several months for the next volume to be released.
WOLVERINE: MADRIPOOR KNIGHTS ⭐⭐⭐Meh, I snagged this on a whim and it's about what I would expect from a Marvel comic. Tons of references to other comics and events that I don't really understand but sure. It's a comic about Wolverine, Captain America, and Black Widow teaming up in Madripoor to find some alien dohickey thing that is going to be auctioned off. There are tons of fights with ninja, sorry, The Hand, and a showcase of the usual Madripoor characters. It was a fun popcorn read but that's about it.
Yowamushi Pedal Omnibus, Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐This entire omnibus covers the Welcome race for the racing club and I never knew a race could be so exciting. This is Sakamichi Onoda's first race and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Seeing Onoda discovering his love of racing, his pure brute force attempts at trying to catch up to his new friends, the baffled reactions from his seniors as this kid comes out of no where to put up this fight. The little technical bits from the author, who also races bicycles, that filter through here and there. I know I've said that I'm not a sports guy before but I might be getting slowly converted.
Now, what is next, who knows. I'm in a position this week where I've got a couple weeks before my next due date at the library. I'm just going to read what ever I feel like this week and see where things are next weekend. I've got audiobooks, light novels, and some manga to get through. Audiobooks are probably the one I'm most concerned about. I've got a couple shorter ones but I also got the next Shannara book which is a 21 hour book. I need to plan for that a bit so I have some time to get it done.
Mod
Yay that you found a good spooky book! Hopefully the rest of the author's works are good too.
Hmmm the racing manga could be fun
Mod
Brittany wrote: "I made a mistake. I have fantasy of some form for all 3 of the books I am actively reading. Think I may have hit overload. Need to finish one so I can get some variety in there
- 4 stars. I was initially drawn to this book because of the dark academia setting, secret society, and connection to ancient civilizations. The language is lively, the pacing is good, and there are many interesting characters. However, I found it to be too focused on the characters' unique abilities, which made them feel like superheroes. And usually when everyone is so unique, there is no uniqueness at all.
- 3 stars. I read the book in German. Pretty normal enemies to lovers romantic story, nothing really special. Comfort read.
- 5 stars. Re-read. I think I love it even more than the first time I read the book. Something about London and different dimensions in the combination with Gaiman's magical writing style make it irresistible not to devour the whole story in one sitting.
- 4 stars. Can’t say I enjoyed it a lot, but the book is decent with a very good language style. I expected more depth and character, but was disappointed.
- 5 stars. Enjoyed it so much! I had lots of fun reading the book, she is actually one of my favorite people. Kelly Bishop is such a cheerful, bright, complex, wholesome and interesting person. There were couple of moments, when I laughed and couldn't stop, and some sad moments too, unfortunately, but that's what makes life rich.
- 4 stars. Interesting series with easy to read writing style. The book is not overwhelming, the characters are introduced gradually so that you can enjoy each of them but not get bored. My favorite part was the relations between the characters (both between the sisters and the love lines).
- 5 stars. It’s stunning! Italian culture is so unique and distinctive, but when delivered wrong, can feel disingenuous. However, Ferrante's depiction is flawless, the sights, sounds, taste and emotions of Naples is palpable. I can't even describe the whole list of feelings I had during reading and after finishing the book, I guess it was everything from extreme joy to profound sadness, from pride to shame. The writing style is so rich, detailed and atmospheric, I lost myself completely in the plot. Though my favorite part is the point of view, the narrator, Elena Greco. When seen through her eyes, the story becomes intimate, vivid, close. Not to say I dived straight into the next story of educated Elena and brilliant Lila Cerullo.
Mod
Time for that weekly wrap up
Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, (Light Novel) Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐I have some very conflicted feelings about this one. On one hand this is basically just fluff. It's a mindless popcorn read that keeps my brain entertained. It's that standard Isekai fair where crazy OP MC just rolls through everything in his way. It also taps into some of the less savory tropes of the genre which I am not a fan of, namely the harem of young women. It's not so much the harem as it is the age. The novel also has that problem where a lot of the female characters are introduced by describing their bust size. That being said, there are weird moments where the novel flips things on their head in an unexpected way. For instance, in this one our MC visits a brothel for a little relief. It was off page but there was no attempts to hide it either. The next section of the booked opened with our MC walking out of the brothel and commenting on what happened. Outside of all of that though there are some interesting ideas. There are two different kind of people who can be isekai'd to this world. There are those that die and are reborn in this world. Then there are those that are summoned to this world. Oddly enough, our MC doesn't really seem to fall into either category. There are also implications of other people from our world who have traveled to this world. There are just a lot of world building questions that I have. Like I said, this is a popcorn read and I plan on continuing.
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear (Light Novel) Vol. 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐Yup, still rereading this series and still liking it. Not a lot to really say here that I haven't said before.
Before Your Memory Fades ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I don't remember exactly what lead me down this rabbit hole but I am loving these slice of life novels and it seems like there are a lot of them out there for me to explore. This book was exactly what I expected, emotional damage in a small book format. This one changes the script a bit from previous books. It's in a different location with a new cast of characters, plus some familiar faces, and it is set several years in the future from the previous books. I've seen some criticisms about the repetitive nature of this book, especially with this being the third one in the series, but there is something comforting about the familiarity of this book and the formula. I would be very thrown of kilter if suddenly there was aliens in the timelines with multiple versions of the family members running around creating space time paradoxes. I'm here for emotional stories about final goodbyes, heartfelt messages to loved ones, and finding peace. I read these books expecting to ugly cry at the end of each story and it delivers on that. I just love the simplicity and beauty of it all.
Now for the manga
Dragon Ball (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 10: Includes vols. 28, 29 & 30 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I picked this up about an hour before bed expecting to just get started on this longer book. Several hours later I finished all of this thing in one sitting. I just found that I could not put this book down once I got started. Toriyama just kept throwing bombs at the reader and I just had to know what happened next. As I mentioned before I'm a new reader to this series so a lot of this is new to me. I know some stuff from pop culture osmosis but most of it is new. When this section was being released the fans must have been going nuts. I'm not going to spoil anything even though it is an older franchise but there are several new characters introduced in this one including some new villains. Those introductions were insane to say the least and a great example of how to create hype while writing.
Interviews with Monster Girls, Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐Not a lot to really say about this one really. In this one we get a bit more of a glimpse into the everyday life of these three girls and the unique challenges that they face in life.
Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 19 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Reading a single volume in this series is like getting one soda cracker after not eating for a week. It's great, it's tasty, but I so want more. This one dove into a lot of back story about the big guy, the first experiment, what that means for the current plans, all while getting glimpses at stuff happening in the current time. Like I said, this was a tasty snack but I want more.
Spy x Family, Vol. 13 ⭐⭐⭐⭐The latest volume in this series and we get a fair mix of stories in this one. We get the more serious spy stuff, we get some general world building, we get some more Anya being Anya, and we get some just general slice of life stuff. I felt that this was another great volume in this series. Now for the long wait for the next one.
Now, what is next.
Audiobooks
The Black Cauldron I'm nearly done this one
The Wishsong of Shannara This is the one that I am going to be starting tomorrow and focusing on heavily this week. 21 hours of audio in a little under a week is a lot to get through.
Physical
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 12 More Frieren, life is good
Brewed with Love A cute looking romance, hopefully it is good
After that I have a few other manga but I have time so I am not committing fully to anything yet
Mod
Emotional damage in a small book format is just such an interesting way to explain a book. One day Ill start these.
You are making me want to read Dragon Ball.... which is something I have never wanted to pick up before. Even though I loved DBZ as a kid.
Im on hold for Spy 13. Good to see you enoyed it
Mod
Finished
which I rated 4 stars. And I also finished
which I adored. A definitely 5 stars! (However, it will never not annoy me that this book is published as Rebel Witch in the US and THE Rebel Witch in the UK so whenever I search for it on here with the UK title Goodreads is like what you talking about?)I'm currently listening to
which I started yesterday. I am also re-reading
which is one of my favourite books ever, and I just felt like I needed a comfort re-read.
Brittany wrote: "Gord enjoyed your update.Emotional damage in a small book format is just such an interesting way to explain a book. One day Ill start these."
I'm sure there are more eloquent ways to put it but it's still a good description. The books are short and they will make you cry.
Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "I can't even remember what my last update was here. I've had a few weeks where I wasn't reading much as my Dad was in hospital and I was pretty much working all day and spending every night visitin..."I'm so glad you enjoyed Rebel Witch. Also your The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches re-read reminded me of the same thing, I also wanted to re-read it, but in German. I guess that's the sign!
Mod
Glad you have been enjoying your reads! Yay for getting caught up on Once Upon a Broken Heart. Enjoy your reread! Such a good book
Mod
YA Addicted Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
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The Dragon Factory (other topics)
Deepwater Creek: A Graphic Novel (other topics)
Skinwalker (other topics)
More...
Have you read the 2nd one Elena??