YA Addicted Book Club discussion

New year, new thread! What are you starting the year off with?

First book of the year for me was . It was a good way to start the year because it was great! Easy 5 stars. Lol.

Yesterday I also started and I'm about 100 pages in.

I'm starting the year off with carry overs from last year as I had a few outstanding books to finish last year so I'm continuing with on audio and in hardback.

I'm actively trying to be more present on this group this year, so I'm hoping to pop in here every week to share my updates.

This week I finished: and my re-read of which I'd started at the end of last year.

I'm currently reading an arc of and listening to on audio.

Y'all got some excellent books going for you so far this year!

I read and so far - both 5 stars!

Working on book club picks currently so I'm reading and actively and have two others that are carry overs from 2023.

Liliana wrote: "First book of the year for me was . It was a good way to start the year because it was great! Easy 5 stars. Lol.

Yesterday I also started [bookcover:Six of ..."

So jealous you've gotten to read it already! Happy to hear its 5 stars!

Also I love Six of Crows so much

Two 5 star books to start the year is fabulous Heather!
Love the update Kay!

I've finished
and currently working on:
Audio:

Ebook:

Physical: One day Ill find time to sit and read this for real....

Brittany wrote: "I've finished
and currently working..."

What did you think of Britney’s book? It made me feel so sad for her!

Time for that first update of the year. Not a super amazing update as I was still sick most of the week. It kind of worked out though as I had a backlog of audiobooks to work through and little mental capacity for actual reading. There was a lot of audiobook while playing Power Wash Simulator this week. Don't judge.

Bookshops & Bonedust -5 Stars
Man I was looking forward to this book so much and as you can tell by my rating it delivered for me. As much as I love and appreciate things like Lord of the Rings or other high fantasy with their epic and sweeping worlds there is just something fun about low stakes fantasy like this. I'm so glad the the original book blew up like it did and we are starting to see more and more of these cozy type fantasies. This book here is a prequel going all the way back to the start of Viv's career as an Adventurer. She gets injured and has to sit out the campaign in this small town called Murk. While there she discovers summer love and a love for reading. This book was just so much fun and seeing a more headstrong Viv was so much fun. The side characters in this book were also amazing and I don't know about anyone else but I wanted to crawl inside this book and go exploring. The other thing I want to heap some praise on is the narrator who is also the author. He has a great voice and it just elevates the book in my opinion.

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash (Light Novel) Vol. 1 -3 Stars
Speaking of cozy fantasies here is another chill, slice of life, fantasy series. It's another isekai but the isekai elements were pretty light in my opinion. We never got to see their life in our world and their past experiences don't seem to have much impact on this world. Basically our MC goes through the ceremony where they discover what their blessing in this world will be. Turns out they don't have much in the way of skills and is shunned by basically everyone in their village. When the chief and their father plans to off the MC they escape and start living on their own. They survive by living off the land and off of garbage found in dumps outside of villages. There is not a whole lot in this book that is ground breaking or revolutionary but it is entertaining. There is enough here that I requested the second book and we will see where it goes.

The Hobbit -5 Stars
This was the other audiobook that I listened to this book and I was listening to the Rob Inglis version. This is not my first time reading this book but it is my first time listening to the audiobook. Rob Inglis had a great voice that just added so much to the experience. There was just this... richness to his voice that just made this book so comforting. I love the feeling of adventure that this book has and the narration just added to the fun of this book. This book will always be a favorite of mine and I am now curious about the Rob Inglis version of the Lord of the Rings. I've requested the first one and is usual with so many things right now with the library I'll see it in about 5-6 months.

Love in Winter Wonderland -DNF
My first DNF of the the year. I snagged this for a group read and I had no expectations heading into this. I figured it might be a cute YA romance that I sometime like. I read about 30-35 pages and just tossed it. I just couldn't stand the male lead and after reading some comments and some reviews there is no redemption for him and I just didn't feel like struggling through this.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 13 -4 Stars
This marks the end of Kevin Eastman's involvement with the IDW Turtles and this does feel like an end to a story line. I'm not the biggest fan of how it was handled but I can appreciate it. I felt that this was a story line that should have been dealt with sooner as one of the players just kind of vanished from the series when the authors focused on other things. The character then suddenly drops back into the story to have this story line and it just kind of feels a little odd. There was also a section towards the end of this story line that looked really pretty but felt like a whole lot of philosophical rambling that went on for way to long. Overall it was interesting and I wonder where the next author will take things.

Up next I've got a few things on the go.

Untethered Sky
Clown in a Cornfield
These are the two audiobooks I have on the docket for this week. I'll be starting with Untethered Sky before moving over to some killer clowns.

Criminal
I have to get this novel done soon so I can get it back to the library before it expires. It's Karin Slaughter so it's some nice, light, feel good reading...

Kay it made me sad for her too. She went through a lot for sure. That conservatorship was terrible to say the least as are her family. Hopefully she can get some help and some much needed healing.

Gord everything you said about Bookshops & Bonedust is how I feel too. Loved it so much.
Also good on you for DNFing a book that wasnt going to work for you.

Brittany wrote: "Liliana wrote: "First book of the year for me was . It was a good way to start the year because it was great! Easy 5 stars. Lol.

Yesterday I also started [b..."

Next time Jennifer opens up her ARC team I'm sending you the link 😆 Lol. If you like Zane you're going to love this! And even if you don't, it was very interesting to see things from his POV, especially after what happened in book 2 👀

Today I finished and I really enjoyed it! This author is a good storyteller! I loved the idea of a heist and I really liked the complex characters. I also started immediately after finishing Six of Crows because that ending omg!

Brittany wrote: "Two 5 star books to start the year is fabulous Heather!
Love the update Kay!"

I'm easily entertained and rate high but they were truly good books!

Gord wrote: "Time for that first update of the year. Not a super amazing update as I was still sick most of the week. It kind of worked out though as I had a backlog of audiobooks to work through and little men..."

I loved Clown in a Cornfield! It was bloody fun!

Lili yes please do!! Im loving this series of hers. Cant wait to get into Zane's head

Liliana wrote: "Today I finished and I really enjoyed it! This author is a good storyteller! I loved the idea of a heist and I really liked the complex characters. I also started ..."

Yes!! No mourners, no funerals! Love that series so damn much. Six of Crows was great but I gave 5 stars to Crooked Kingdom. Hope you love it too. I want a third Crows book so badly.
Also look forward to you getting to King of Scars after!

@Lili @Brittany I totally agree with you both on that one. Though I had to re-read the series to actually love it. First my mistake was to read it right after the original Grisha trilogy.

So glad you loved Six of Crows Lili, it's one of my favourites!

Elena wrote: "@Lili @Brittany I totally agree with you both on that one. Though I had to re-read the series to actually love it. First my mistake was to read it right after the original Grisha trilogy."

See and I didnt really like the original trilogy all that much. I struggled with Mal a lot though.

My year started with lots of books actually (some were re-reads).

- 4 stars. This book is connected to the other books in the series. Technically you still can read it without context, but it makes more sense if you know what happened before. Not my favourite in the series, but still pretty good. We’re back to Jack and Jill’s story from the 2nd book. I loved the 2nd book more, here I always had that feeling of something’s missing. The vibes, the atmosphere, the very unique narration are here, but something about the story or the characters is definitely missing.
- 4 stars. Still enjoying this one, the second book is even more engaging and the narrative perspective is quite interesting. It reminded me of thinking machines in Dune Universe. Same vibes, but the stories are way shorter and tuned down from the range of the vast universe to one small Research Transport vessel.
- 4 stars - I guess I’m getting tired of Colleen Hoover’s style. Her romances always include some controversial relationship trope, and the bitter part of bitter-sweet makes me really sad, even when there is a happy ending. I’m not sure how to describe my feelings after reading this exactly, but there is a slight note of sadness left for sure. At this point of my life I don’t mind reading about cheating (romantic aspect), but it’s very uncomfortable, when it plays major role in almost all of her books.
- 5 stars. This is one of the weirdest books so far. China's Cultural Revolution? Yes please! Creepy military project? Yes please! Add space, aliens, Earth invasion, strange game, lots of scientific facts. I love that it’s heavily based on science and has lots of explanations, up to the point when it makes sense. Asian sci-fi slowly becomes my favourite genre. It’s also full of surprises and unexpected little twists here and there.
- 5 stars. The series only slightly related to Caraval, and can be read separately. Though it’s still better to read Caraval first so that some things make sense. So… I wanted more Jacks and I got it! I guess he’s my favourite type of character. I love the pacing of the story, it fits, you never get bored. And romantic line, ah! So steamy, sparkly, spicy and without those creepy sex scenes! I’d love to read more books like that. The author definitely knows how to write a perfect romantic story.
- 4 stars. That’s the 3rd book in the series in regency romance genre and I kinda enjoying it so far. Usually I don’t pick this genre as it always turns out to be boring. But though the book doesn’t have any interesting twists, it’s well written and very satisfying. The romance is steamy, there are lots of sex scenes too, which I usually don’t like, but here it’s not annoying, sometimes even cute and cozy.
- 5 stars. So far so good! It’s becoming more complex and interesting, when new characters are introduced. I love how the series is structured, and the author creates plot layers in an extremely good pacing, it’s doesn’t overwhelm you with lots of new concepts, storylines and world building, just gradually adds more story lines, diving deeper into the history of each chunk of the world (school, clan, even planet). This one in particular is centered around Sisterhood of Dune, why and how it was formed, how it functions, also their political position.
- 3 stars. I didn’t like the first book much, but decided to give a chance to the second one… Well, the result is the same, I felt very detached from the romantic part of the story, while space, sci-fi and political aspects were pretty weak for the genre. It’s not particularly bad, but compared to the other books I’ve read - not good enough.
- 4 stars. I loved it, but this book has issues. Some lines don’t make sense and feel very rushed, as if author was in a hurry to introduce those things to proceed with more interesting development. And it’s definitely an insta love, not my favourite type of romance, but I can live with it. Another issue is that the plot is extremely linear and all the twists are easy to guess. So what did I love? The idea, the characters are very likeable, that moment with fae children… and the narrative is pretty good.

Elena what a great update! Love seeing more wayward children and murderbot. You have me intrigued with Three Body Problem, then I looked at reviews and realized it is hard SF which is the one genre I just cannot get into. Still glad you enjoyed it and it sounds neat. I really enjoyed the Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy, there's some issues but mostly it worked for me. Super curious where Garber will take us next. I still need to read Rhapsodic, I've mostly heard good things about that series

Time for that weekly update and there is not a lot to really talk about this week. Life has been a weird one this week. It was my first week back to work after a month off. It was a six day week due to an inventory count. It was bone chilling cold here (-pushing -50c/-58f at times) which made walking something that got shelved until warmer times. I was also dealing with some left over dregs of my week long flu experience that ended up messing with my sleep schedule. Long story short, there was a lot of things going on this week and reading just wasn't top of that list.

Criminal -5 Stars
Karin Slaughter is not an author I can casually pick up and have a fun, easy read. That being said when I am prepared and in the mood her books are an amazing read and this book is a great example of that. As I mentioned above I had a lot going on this week and it kind of felt like a barrier between me and this book. If I was left to my own devices I could see myself just getting lost in this story. This book has three different story lines on the go. There is the victims POV in 1974, Amanda's story in 1975, and Will's story in present day. More than anything this book was Amanda's story. It goes back to when she was just a new police officer. She has never had her own case, she is dealing with the rampant misogyny of the time, and she is trying to figure out herself. This was long before Amanda was the scary boss dragon of the GIB that nobody wants to mess with. This story shows how she became that person, the groundwork for the incredible network of contacts that she has, and it really gives her character a human side to all the hardness we see in her present self. We also see how her story and Will's story are connected and what he means to her. While there was a mystery in this one and it was the "central" story this felt more like a character piece. Just an amazing read that kept pulling me along in week full of distractions. I am curious how, if at all, this will change things going forward though. Will this be something that is just swept under the rug, I hope not, or will this change the relationship between Amanda and Will.

On a side note semi linked to this I was curious about the TV show based on this series and after seeing a few clips I am going to have to say no. Some of the clips I saw were tied to the story line I had just read and I really don't like the changes I was seeing. It changed Amanda's character and I'm not vibing with it.

Untethered Sky -3
I snagged this book up because it looked interesting and the title started with the letter U which I need for a few challenges. After reading it I can confirm that it does have an interesting idea in it but the book does absolutely nothing with it. The book has a fantasy/Mediterranean setting centered around Rocs. People called ruhkers train and raise these giant birds to hunt down wild creatures like lions and jackals as well as mythical creatures like the dreaded manticore. From that alone you can see how I would think that it's an interesting premise to it. It's such a shame that nothing comes from it. This feels like an author making a pitch for a book. Maybe spitballing a few different ideas to apply to this premise. There are elements of this book that feels like it could lean into a slice of novel exploring the day to day challenges faced by a ruhker. There are elements that feel like it could go down a more YA fantasy route, or Romantasy I think it it is, with a sexy prince and a female love rival. There are elements of this book that could be made into so much more but, again, it does nothing with them. Then the book ends with what feels like an attempt to twist an emotional response out of the reader but it doesn't feel like it earns it. I found the book entertaining enough, I think a lot could be done with this idea, but I'm not sure I could recommend this book to any one. There just isn't anything there to really recommend to anyone.

As for what is next. Well it will be another weird week. The bone chilling cold continues cancelling my walks for at least the first couple days this week. That being said I have library due dates to meet so books must be read.

Clown in a Cornfield
This is part of a buddy read where we are reading the entire series of this campy series. We are reading the first two books now and then the third when it comes out later this year. I'm about 50% of the way into this one and it is just fun.

For stuff that is not audiobooks I have an ever growing stack of comics and manga to get through. This week I have some more JoJo, a comic called Ink Girls, and the next omnibus of Yokohama Kaidashi. Lots to read as always.

Hopefully its a better week for you Gord. You could always go mall walk or walk around your apartment building to get some steps in while its so cold?

Going into Six of Crows I had no intention of reading anything else but this duology, but now that I read it and am just over halfway done with Crooked Kingdom (which is STRESSING me out!! Lol) I think I am going to go back and read that first series as well! And maybe the series after Six of Crows too lol. I really like the world and am loving the characters! Even though Kaz's scheming is, again, STRESSING me out!! 😆 Scheming face is going to be the death of me! Lol

Elena wrote: "My year started with lots of books actually (some were re-reads).

- 4 stars. This book is connected to the other books in the series. Technically you still ..."

So many good books! Stephanie Garber books are next on my list to read, because I am apparently in a rare fantasy mood lol

Gord wrote: "Time for that weekly update and there is not a lot to really talk about this week. Life has been a weird one this week. It was my first week back to work after a month off. It was a six day week du..."

And I thought our -4F weather over here was bad 😭 I hope you start feeling better though! I've been seeing Clown in a Cornfield everywhere! I'm curious to hear your thoughts once you're done with it!

Liliana wrote: "Going into Six of Crows I had no intention of reading anything else but this duology, but now that I read it and am just over halfway done with Crooked Kingdom (which is STRESSING me out!! Lol) I t..."

Have you not read the original trilogy? It isnt my favourite but there's some important details in there. Especially for what comes after the Crows.

Brittany wrote: "Liliana wrote: "Going into Six of Crows I had no intention of reading anything else but this duology, but now that I read it and am just over halfway done with Crooked Kingdom (which is STRESSING m..."

Nope 😂 And I wasn't planning on reading it either. Lol. The thing that piqued my interest about Six of Crows was the heist aspect. That's what I wanted. But now I think I might go back and read the og series. I don't usually read things out of order, but oh well. Too late now. Lol.

Absolutely! And the audios are decent too, great for crows.

I read Six of Crows before I did the OG Grisha trilogy, so it's def possible to read first and understand what's going on. The OG trilogy did fill in a couple of gaps but by and large, kind of needed it more for King of Scars than I did for Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.

Yes exactly Jo! Its pretty necessary for King of Scars

Liliana wrote: "Elena wrote: "So many good books! Stephanie Garber books are next on my list to read, because I am apparently in a rare fantasy mood lol"

Oh I'd love to read your thoughts on her books. Hope you'll enjoy them!

Well this was a bit of a better week of reading and for life in general.

Clown in a Cornfield -4 Stars
I know many who will hard pass this book just because of a killer clown or two and that's fair. Personally I love this book and it's campy horror vibe. It's a bit slow in the beginning as it sets things up but once the bodies start dropping the pace really picks up. I think the beauty of this book for me is the blending of real world and the horrifying. There are a lot of things that are said in this book that I've heard in real life. A lot of beliefs that I can easily say we've all seen in real life. "Everything wrong in this world is because of those kids and their phones." That kind of stuff. Honestly their is a part of me that wouldn't be surprised if I were to wake up one morning and see something like this on the news. The book really dances that line between completely fantastical and something based in the real world. The killer has no supernatural powers, it isn't some mythical monster, it's something much, much worse. This is just a fun popcorn read with some elements here and there that make you ponder a bit. I can't wait to get to the second one next month and the third one later this year when it finally releases. Yes, there is more then one book in this series.

Ink Girls -4 Stars
This a pretty new book that just came out at the end of November last year and I can see it potentially gaining some traction. It's set in a medieval Italian inspired port city and is about combating corruption with the press. Our MC is an apprentice printer who finds herself on the run after her and her master are arrested for printing articles about the corruption in the local government. She has only a few days to prove her masters innocence and through the help of friends, new and old, she discovers more about the city that she lives in then she ever knew. This book leans towards the younger side of the YA spectrum so a lot of things are solved with the power of friendship, girl power, etc but it has a solid message at it's core. It also means that is has more of a immediate and feel good resolution then would probably be realistic but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The art is great, the characters are interesting, the message is great. If you have a younger reader then maybe take a look at this book.

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Deluxe Edition, Vol. 3 -4 Stars
Maybe I was just in the right mood or something but this book just hit differently this time. Reading this series has been a bit odd as I've been reading these as my library gets them months after they come out. Not going to get into that here. As a result my memory of what happened in the last volume is a little fuzzy and I have to spend a few minutes trying to remember who is who again. Especially as there a lot of side characters at this point and not really a connecting overarching story. It's very much a slice of life story about an event happening here and now. That being said there were stories that just oozed emotions. The feeling of loss, loneliness, growing old, nostalgia, the joy of something new, the joy of meeting someone like yourself, the joy of returning home after a long time away. There are some chapters I'm not even sure what I am feeling but there is just this sense of something. This book was an interesting and emotional read that really reminds me of what something like manga can convey with very few words and some great art.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 3—Stardust Crusaders, Vol. 1 -4
And on the other end of the spectrum from the thought provoking and emotional manga mentioned above we have this manga. Action, body horror, humor, the usual JoJo package. This is the start of a new story arc set some 50ish years after Battle Tendency and the introduction of Stands to the series. It really feels like the action is a lot more fast paced in this one and the ticking clock element is only going to add to that. The series main villain, Dio, is back in full force in this one as well. I think about the only thing I'm not really fully on board with is the MC, Jotaro Kujo. I like his design but not his personality so much. Maybe it will be one of things that will grow on me over time but for right now it's just a bit to abrasive.

Dark Gathering, Vol. 1 -4 Stars
I originally read some of this series as fan translations so I was stoked when I found my library bringing in the official translated versions. This series is a blend of two opposite things that just works for me. On one side you have stuff that would be considered very cute. On the other side you have some pretty gory and extreme horror. For what ever reason, matching these two opposite elements gives you something that I just find fun to read. Something about the cute just making those hard turns into horror hit even harder then they should. Combine that with an amazing design for the cover character and I'm just having fun with this one. I'm stoked to see where this series goes and to get to some new material.

As for what is next...

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
This is my current audiobook and I have some mixed feelings about things. I started this one expecting a cute and fun romance and there are elements of that here and there but it's just buried under a lot of annoying cliches and tropes. For instance, the nonstop, constant reminders about how hot the MMC is growing rather old. I'm only 36% of the way into the book and I am done hearing the term "demon d*ck" and I know it's only going to get worse as things get spicier. That and the cliche where the MMC has to be this perfectly sculpted, peak of male hotness. It just gets so boring to read this because you see the same descriptors and what not in nearly every book that has to have this perfectly sexy male character. Outside of that there isn't a lot that is really standing out in the novel for me. It's not horrible but it's not rocking my world either.

Outside of my audio I have several more comics to get through this week. Expect that trend to last for a few more weeks. My library got a whole bunch in lately and they have been filling my various holds all at once.

Little update. I didn't update last weekend as I didn't finish anything last week.

This week I finished which was super fun and cute. I gave it 3.5 stars. I genuinely just like this series as a fun palatte cleanser that you don't have to think to hard about.
I also finished a beta read for an author friend so I can't share what that was yet but I will absolutely update when I can.

I'm still reading but I'm at 70% so hopefully I'll finish this one this week. Also listening to on audio.

This past week I finished And I really enjoyed it! I think I may have liked it even more than Six of Crows! Even if that ending was bittersweet... I'm still not okay 😭

Oh, and I started an ARC of which I was so excited for! I requested this a while back on Netgalley and at this point, I was thinking I wasn't going to be approved, but I was and I'm so happy!

Brittany and Jo, that is good to know! Especially since I'm itching to read King of Scars after that ending in Crooked Kingdom 😭 I suppose I'm gonna have to read the Shadow and Bone trilogy super fast so I can get to the duology sooner 😆 (I actually got the King of Scars duology from the library today, the second book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy from Libby yesterday, so now I'm just waiting for Shadow and Bone to come in, and let me tell you, the wait is killing me!! Lol)

Gord, Clown in a Cornfield sounds like a good one! I love a good campy horror novel! And honestly, for me, real-world horrors are typically more scary than your average supernatural boogeyman.

Liliana wrote: "Brittany and Jo, that is good to know! Especially since I'm itching to read King of Scars after that ending in Crooked Kingdom 😭 I suppose I'm gonna have to read the Shadow and Bone trilogy super f..."

If it helps, all the books in the Shadow and Bone trilogy are relatively short so they should be pretty quick to get through! They're not Bad, her more recent books are just better. They're VERY early 2010s YA fantasy vibes.

Finished my first book of 2024, my audiobook hangover from last year and it was really fun, I had a great time reading it. Great characters, really cool concept, all in all just a super fun time to read. I'm not totally convinced it needed a sequel, there are some loose ends left in this book but not in a way that has me desperate to read on to find out what happens next. I will read the sequel because I did enjoy this book and the characters, I'm just not totally convinced that it wouldn't have just been fine as a standalone.

Anyway, my next read is one that I meant to read so many times last year and I'm finally getting to now, .

@Jo City of Nightmares sounds interesting, though the sequel might be either hit or a total disaster :D

Elena wrote: "@Jo City of Nightmares sounds interesting, though the sequel might be either hit or a total disaster :D"

I really hope a hit but I'm worried it's one that should have been one and done and has been extended!

Jo wrote: "Liliana wrote: "Brittany and Jo, that is good to know! Especially since I'm itching to read King of Scars after that ending in Crooked Kingdom 😭 I suppose I'm gonna have to read the Shadow and Bone..."

I'm glad to hear it! And thanks for the warning! I'm kinda looking forward to early 2010 YA fantasy lol

A couple of days ago I finished and I really enjoyed it! I didn't think it was as atmospherically creepy as Dead Silence, but it wasn't bad. I liked the story and I am just always looking for more space horror books to read.

I'm also about 100 pages into and... well, I don't want to say I'm enjoying it, given the content and everything that Britney went through, but I am liking the book and am enjoying the process of reading it and learning about Britney's life from her POV.

Time for that weekly wrap up and I've been on a manga and comic tear this week so I have a few entries. Now some of these entries are going to be super short and sweet and for some I'll have a few things to say. Now that the warnings are done lets get started with this.

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon -3 Stars
I was getting ready to type this weeks summary up and I was mentally reviewing what I read this week. I completely forgot that I had finished this book on Monday. I think that says a lot about my thoughts on this novel. I picked this up expecting a cute and fun little romance and there are moments where that peaks through but overall this was just a cliche laden slog to get through. As the tin advertises our clumsy witch accidentally summons a demon up, to cover up this demon she claims that the demon is her boyfriend, they pretend they're dating until *shock* they actually develop feelings for each other. This book was essentially everything I hate about romance novels. The FMC who doesn't know her own worth, the cruel parents, the third act misunderstanding, the MMC who is more eye candy than an actual character, the oh so perfect sex the first time they fall into bed with the MMC packing the biggest package ever. It's just so painfully cliche and boring. I swear when the characters are talking about the MMC the author just tapped into the MMC vault and pulled up the most standard lines ever that you see in every novel where the man is just there to look good. I swear I start reading these lines and it's the exact same line I've read in books just like this. The MMC some how puts Adonis to shame and us mere normal men are nothing but garbage in the premise of this chiseled god. Sorry to rant but man do I hate this trope. It can be done well if there is actual characteristics given to the character but more often then not the character is just there to be lusted over.

Alright back to this book, put away the annoyance. Like I mentioned there are moments where this book is kind of interesting. I liked the two friends who support the main character, I like the main characters natural magic abilities with all things plant related, I like the idea of Glimmerfalls as a town, there were some interesting ideas in regards to demons as a whole. A lot of this is just lost though in the books need to hit the standard beats that are expected of it. Oh and then there is the random commentary from the author about American problems. Out of the blue you would get some random comment about the American healthcare system, the legal system, the education system, etc. These comments would just appear out of the blue, make their statement, and then everyone would move on without addressing the issue. It was just weird and kind of annoying. Looking back at my comments here I kind of wonder why I even gave this a three star rating?

The Book of Candlelight -4 Stars
This series is really growing on me and an example of what a cozy mystery can achieve. This book started out feeling pretty cliche cozy mystery. We are introduced to an established member of the community who we have conveniently never seen before this book who then dies a few pages later. Like I said, pretty typical cozy mystery fare. The lead is anything but law enforcement but finds herself involved in the case, it's set in a small town with a fairly transient population (aka tourism), etc. There was a moment in this book though where it suddenly took off the cozy gloves and entered a more mature territory. Not far enough to feel dark and gritty like a mystery or a thriller but suddenly we are not in the usual comfortable cozy surroundings. The book then has several separate story lines that you know will inevitably be all tied together but you're not 100% certain how yet. Oddly enough the one area where I think the book kind of stumbled was in the romance department. It wasn't bad, it didn't do anything horrible, it just felt kind of there. It didn't really add to anything and if it wasn't there I wouldn't really miss it either. Regardless this book was a good read and I'm genuinely surprised with this it.

Now for all the manga and comics, sorry in advance.

Earthdivers, Vol. 1: Kill Columbus -3 Stars
I write these based off how my reading challenge is listed and it looks like we are going to start with the controversial one. The book is set in the year 2112 and the world is destroyed due to environmental turmoil. Those with the cash have left the planet leaving everyone else behind. The four MC's, Native American, come up with this idea to stop this by sending one of them back in time to kill Christopher Columbus before he ever arrives in America undoing all the horribly things he did and preventing the world from ending. I'm just going to tackle the elephant in the room and get this out of the way. This is an interesting idea for a story, Columbus deserves a lot of the criticism as he did a lot of really messed up things, but this feels like a very black and white view on something not so black and white. There feels like some genuine rage here and, again, it's warranted but it feels like taking a baseball bat to something that needs a feathers touch. It ignores the fact that Columbus was not the first person in America and not the first white person. The Vikings were here some 400 years before Columbus ever stumbled across this continent. The discovery of North America was going to be inevitable at some point. Like I mentioned above, the Vikings already knew of it. Expansion from either Europe or Asia were going to be inevitable. Would it have been as bad as Columbus or what followed? Who knows. That gets heavily into the realm of "what ifs" but lets be honest here history is not exactly kind. It could maybe be better or it could be a whole lot worse. The history part aside lets get into my other thoughts. This book was this weird blend of science, magic, and hallucinations (?). The book is split in to two story lines. There is part of it following the one MC who was sent into the past to stop Columbus. This was the best part of the story in my opinion. It was interesting to see this scholarly character descend into madness as his mission gets more and more desperate. Then there is the part in the future and that was odd. This is where it really gets into the timey wimey stuff and the story gets kind of confusing and convoluted. There are a lot of characters all with their own motivation and goals and it gets kind of confusing after a bit. I'm not sure if I want to read the next one or not as it isn't out yet but I might.

Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 26 -3 Stars
I don't even remember requesting this book. I just got a notification that it was ready to pick up one day. It has been a while since I read the last one and I think that it kind of helped with this one. I found myself grinning at points and enjoying the romance between Komi and Tadano when it decide to pop up. That being said my usual issues are still there. That one creepy character that just won't go away and has to be in every volume. The stupidly large roster of characters. Outside of a few core characters I barely remember any of these people. They show up, they play of their gag, and then disappear until the story calls for them again. I'm not sure if I ordered the next one but I'm sure it will show up at some point.

Stories of the Islands -4 stars
This book is a feminist retelling of three Indonesian folk tales with more of an emphasis on the women in these tales. This was just a treat to read for me. The simple art style, the stories, it all just worked for me. The icing on the cake, and I wish more retellings did this, the author provided the original folktales at the back of the book. That way you can see the original and see the authors inspiration for what they created.

SAKAMOTO DAYS 8 -4 Stars
Another manga that I have been waiting forever to get from the library and I forgot just how fun this series is. The over the top characters, the over the top abilities, it's all just so much fun. There is a crazy strong character in this volume with a pump action shotgun axe. Yes, a shotgun with a battle axe blade on the barrel. This is the kind of stupidity that I love.

The Great Cleric (Manga) Vol. 4 -4 Stars
This is another fun popcorn fantasy manga read. This one takes up with our MC starting his new job at the head church where is now the exorcists purging the labyrinth of the undead. Not a lot to really say here. Just a fun popcorn read.

Laid-Back Camp, Vol. 14 (Volume 14) -5 Stars
What can I say about this series that I haven't said before. This is just a personal favorite that I love and this volume gave me more fun and chill vibes.

Now for what is next.

Network Effect
My volume finally came in and I'm ready for some more Murderbot.

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash (Light Novel) Vol. 2
I'm about halfway through this novel and it's a lot better than the first so far. To the point where I want to get the next volume but no library has it. I could request it but I have a feeling that it would takes months to get and I kind of want it now. Do I buy or do I wait?

My updates from last week.

Finally finished on audio. While the premise sounded awesome, I really didn't gel well with this one. I almost DNF'd a number of times but forced myself to push through. I gave it 2 stars in the end. The ending was great but the pacing throughout the entire thing was just so slow and boring.

Also finished my ARC of it was okay. I gave it 3 stars. Again I had issued with pacing. This was one of my fave YA fantasy series but having to wait till the last 30% before the big war even began was unnecessary. I was bored.

I also finished which was my saving grace this week. Such an adorable, fun, cute story that tackles some real mental health struggles. I really enjoyed this one. I read it in one day and it's been a while since I did that. 4.5 stars. I knocked .5 off for the annoying miscommunication trope but I suppose it IS YA so I can kind of forgive it.

I'm actually super reluctant to start anything as I want to dive straight into the new SJM when it arrives.

Gord wrote: "Well this was a bit of a better week of reading and for life in general.

Clown in a Cornfield -4 Stars
I know many who will hard pass thi..."

Looks like it was a good reading week Gord. I enjoy your love of killer clowns

Liliana wrote: "This past week I finished And I really enjoyed it! I think I may have liked it even more than Six of Crows! Even if that ending was bittersweet... I'm still not..."

Yay!! Glad you loved Crooked Kingdom!

Jo wrote: "Finished my first book of 2024, my audiobook hangover from last year and it was really fun, I had a great time reading it. Great characters, really cool conc..."

Youll have to let me know how Woman with the Cure is. Sounds interesting.