- The Booklist Queen’s 2023 Reading Challenge
Am I a sucker for a challenge? Yes. Am I going to complete this challenge? Doubt it.
Oh well.
Check out the hyperlink above for the challenge itself. It’s fifty-two categories to help push you to try new things! I’ve got a few under my belt here in January!
- I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells
This is the only book I started in 2022 and didn’t finish before the new year started. It’s also one of the most intense books I’ve read in a long, long time. It follows a teenager named John Cleaver who is a diagnosed sociopath and has a passion for serial killers and is from a family of morticians. When a serial killer arrives in his sleepy little town, he can’t help but be fascinated.
Wells did an incredible job of creating a character that is in equal parts terrifying and relatable. Even things that, as a third party, you can see he is simply not comprehending due to his condition, you can feel the frustration as clearly as if it was your own. On top of that, I read the audiobook narration by Kirby Heyborne who did an incredible job bringing John’s inner workings to life. If you’re an audiobook reader, I can’t recommend him enough.
There’s really only one thing that I didn’t love about the book and, from what I’ve read, I’m not the only one and Wells is very aware. The book is marketed as a horror/mystery but nothing in the description really indicates the paranormal aspect that is very important to the story. Even the first half has some “oddities” but not to the point where I didn’t expect a reasonable explanation at some point. At least until the paranormal development is revealed in full.
Even then, the writing was so engaging that I didn’t have a problem for long. Once the paranormal stuff is internalized I was all-in for the rest of the ride.
There are a few more books in this series and I look forward to checking them out. I just might need to hug some stuffed animals and read something happy first.
- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
- Attempt at “Winter Read”
My first DNF of the year was The Bear and the Nightingale which was a major shame. I was really excited to check this story out but in the end, the style and pacing just didn’t work for me. After fifty pages out of 300, I didn’t really have any investment in the characters. The story spent more time than I would have preferred on setup events to the point that I really never hit the body of the story.
I know this book is well-loved and I absolutely see why. In the end it just wasn’t for me.
- One Piece Volumes 94-Current (106?) by Eiichiro Oda
I never posted any reviews about it and, besides a handful of tweets, I didn’t post anything about it online but I have been in love with this manga since I started it in May 2022. Once I hit Whole Cake Island, I refused to stop until I got myself caught up and oh my god was Oda on his game.
I still don’t plan on posting much about the series. Maybe once the final arc wraps up, I’ll restart the series in defiance of the series ending and I can post some reviews then. But I’ll include it in monthly roundups like this!
- Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
- Released in 2023
Ah, the Year of Sanderson. I couldn’t help but back Sanderson’s historic kickstarter after his insane video announcement (plus being a fan for the last decade). This story was one of the most delightful reads I’ve had and at some point I’m gonna have to get my hands on a hardcover copy. I honestly wasn’t terribly enthusiastic by the premise when I first heard it but after learning it is “What if the Princess in The Princess Bride actively sought out her love?” I really shouldn’t have been surprised.
It was slightly predictable but not in a bad way. Packed to the brim with Cosmere details and references but not (in my opinion as a huge fan) so much so as to make it unapproachable to those not read up on it.
The biggest highlight, in a book full of highlights, was the in-world narration. Told by a side character in the story who just so happens to be a huge deal in Sanderson’s greater writing, I was living my absolute best life in the snarky tone.
But special attention really should be given to Tress the title character and the Emerald Sea in which most of the story is set.
Tress starts out as a delightfully subversive character in that she doesn’t make stupid choices or want to break away from her life. She is happy and is not like the other girls as they all insist on being, not like other girls. Instead she sees her best friend, works hard and lives simply. As she goes through her journey, her transformation into a fierce, brilliant woman is as inspiring as it is satisfying.
Last, it’s impossible to talk about Sanderson without talking about worldbuilding. Shocker: it’s amazing. A world largely covered in oceans of churning spores that react violently when exposed to water is enough to make me want to hide under my blankets and keep reading with a flashlight.
If you love Sanderson, check it out.
If you haven’t tried his work out, give this one a shot!
If you hate Sanderson, thanks for reading this far! I doubt this one will change your opinion but that’s life.
- Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell
- Recommended on TikTok
Where do I start with this one? I enjoyed the characters and was drawn into their world. The magic felt magical, the narration made me smile. The only issue I had was Aline’s dialogue being a bit mature for her age. The MC jokes about it but that doesn’t make it not feel odd. The world makes me hate humanity and the story really does a great job of making you loathe the villains. I look forward to where the story goes!
- The Perfect Run by Maxime J. Durand
- Borrowed from a friend.
I haven’t made my through quite enough of the book to weigh in much on quality. I’m definitely interested in this world, though I’m not the biggest fan of the main character. Still the pieces are in place for a wild ride and I’m giving my buddy’s recommendation the benefit of the doubt.
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
- Take two of Winter Read
I made a small amount of progress on a plane and I’m a bit mixed. The more I try them, the more I can’t help but feel like I’m just not the guy for “fairy tale retellings.” There have been a number of beloved stories over the years that just don’t work for me and this is pacing to fall into that category. I’ll finish it all the same and maybe I’ll change my mind by the end.
- Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman
Right out of the gate I adore this book. It’s essentially a series of essays exploring different philosophies of time and how each variant would affect humanity. I’m having a blast with each and every chapter.
- Ongoing Manga
- My Hero Academia – It’s received a lot of criticism for rushing but honestly I’m loving every bit of this
- Black Clover – The surprise setting shift last year was…odd? I’ve loved the series enough that I have faith in where this series is going.
- Kaiju No. 8 – Gold. There’s nothing else to say. I love this series so goddamn much.
- One Piece – You’d think a guy would slow down after over a thousand chapters but damn it if Oda is still bringing absolute heat.
- Jiangshi X – I’ve only read the first (insanely long) chapter and at some point I’ll get to the second (also really long) chapter sometime soon. Either way, I’m interested in the setup. We’ll see how the series shakes out.
No Strong Opinions 