May was one of those months where I was just bouncing off the walls and it shows in my reading. I didn’t give myself nearly enough time to sit and read (don’t let the finishing of Way of Kings fool you – that was the product of a multi-hour road trip to see family). But that’s just life! June will probably be just as chaotic (if not worse). It’s also possible that I neglected to update my manga reading but I’ll just capture that in June.
| Format | Goal | To Date | Completion % | Pace |
| Physical | 35 | 16 (+1) | 45.71% | 38 |
| Audiobook | 15 | 4 (+1) | 26.67% | 9 |
| E-book | 5 | 4 (+1) | 80.00% | 9 |
| Graphic Novel | 175 | 41 (+3) | 23.43% | 97 |
| Total | 230 | 65 (+6) | 28.26% | 155 |
Currently Reading:
- Traitor of Redwinter by Ed McDonald
- 4/21/24 – TBD
- Reddit Bingo ‘24 (Reference Materials)
- Booklist Queen ‘24 (Place in the title)
- The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
- 5/8/24 – TBD
- Reddit bingo ‘24 ()
- How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
- 5/8/24 – TBD
- Reddit bingo ‘24 ()
- Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
- 5/31/24
Completed Books:
- The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
- 1/11/24 – 5/19/24
- Booklist Queen ‘24 (Reread a Favorite)
It’s almost comical to consider reviewing a book only after losing track of the number of rereads. Yet, here we are! I first read The Way of Kings in 2014 after tearing my way through the available Mistborn books. Fortunately, I didn’t feel the need to put my opinions in writing at the time. To put it into perspective, I found Kaladin to be “whiny” and was convinced that Syladin would be a thing.
So. A lot changes in ten years.
These days, I appreciate the level of care Sanderson put into the depiction of depression and survivor’s guilt. This book, and the books to come, have played an important role in my understanding my own struggles and helping me find footing to push forward.
That said, this is a tough book to recommend to someone. For instance, it’s wild that it starts with three separate prologues. Or that it has literal interludes that are largely removed from the plot. Or that it spends so much time setting up the world that you don’t really know what the plot is until halfway through.
But with each reread, I see why these pieces exist and their value. Sanderson has proven himself a master of the long game and this series has proven it time and time again. I’ll be pacing up my rereads for the remaining three books and yes, once I finish Wind and Truth (the fifth tome of the series) releases this year, I will probably reread them all again.
- Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker
- 2/11/24 – 5/8/24 (DNF)
Booklist Queen ‘24 (You Own but Haven’t Read)
I ended up calling it on this book which breaks my heart since I really wanted to love this one. And if I’m being honest, I’ll probably try it again sometime. Thing is, it’s been sitting at like 8% for three months. As far as a review goes, the prose was just too dense early on. The narration didn’t hold my attention very well and I probably didn’t get far enough to properly connect with the plot.
- Different Not Damaged by Andy Peloquin
- 5/8/24 – 5/11/24
- Reddit bingo ‘24 (Five Short Stories)
“Everything in this book is real. Sure the stories are fantastical (it’s fantasy, after all!), but the emotions, the feelings, the impairments and the limitations are all based on the experiences of real life people. They’ve allowed me to use their stories to showcase what it means to live with disorders: our bodies, minds or psyches may not be the same as you, but that only makes us different, not damaged.”
This quote from the book’s foreword encapsulates the heart of this short-story collection. It’s powerful and poignant and real. And with that reality there are a number of brutal sequences. This is grimdark at its finest: There is no sugar coating to this world but there is still an undercurrent of hope and strength. Yes, these characters are faced with mental and physical ailments that can turn every step into its own skirmish in a lifelong war but by taking those steps, the lights of hope shine that much brighter.
I strongly recommend to readers who enjoy grimdark or stories that aren’t afraid to explore the ugly realities of the world.
- Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis
- 5/6/24 – 5/27/24
- Reddit bingo ‘24 (Multi-POV)
I wanted to LOVE this book and came out sorta okay with it. A cozy spaceship hotel feels like it should be right up my alley. Unfortunately the execution – with a new POV and backstory in each chapter – dragged the pacing more than I could really enjoy.
The plot, when it finally crept out of the woodwork, was certainly interesting and had a more satisfying conclusion than I had expected, but it was too little too late for me.
Graphic Novels (Catchup):
- One Punch Man
- Fairy Tail
Ongoing Manga:
- My Hero Academia
- One Piece
- Kagurabachi
- Sakamoto Days
- Jujutsu Kaisen
- Kaiju No. 8
- Kaiju No. 8: B-Sides
- Boruto Two Blue Vortex
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
No Strong Opinions 