ARC Review for The Storm of Echoes by Christelle Dabos

 The Storm of Echoes by Christelle Dabos is the fourth and final book in The Mirror Visitor series translated from French. I was lucky to receive an advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately, the book was a huge disappointment.

While we get to know several great characters throughout the first three books, many of them are mere cameos in the fourth book. I wanted more Berenilde, Madame Rosaline, and Archibald. We get a fair bit of perspective from Victoria, a nonverbal child with the ability to dream-walk. Because she cannot warn any of the characters about what she's seen, these scenes are used to build tension by giving the readers info that the main characters do not know. I liked this in the third book as it was used more sparingly, but felt it was overused as a plot device now.

Two other things annoyed me before the ending. This book is translated from French, but the translator leaves in a lot of French words, something that wasn't done in the first three books. This gave the book an entirely different mood. Secondly, there is a lot of focus on infertility that seemed incredibly out of place, especially for a YA book. I know the protagonist is now a bit older, probably 20-21 but when facing the destruction of arks and losing great swaths of people, it felt like an odd thing to focus on.

Even with these complaints, I was still enjoying the book until the last 40 or 50 pages. The pacing suddenly speeds up, several reveals happens, making little to no sense. I felt the author didn't know how she was going to make some things happen so she shoehorned in events that she wanted to occur, even if there were no links or clues to these sudden reveals.

I ruminated on how to rate this and decided on 2 stars. I don't hate it, but I also don't recommend reading this book either. While this is a quartet, it really feels more like two duologies. The first two books focused on politics and magical societies whereas the latter two focus on religion/god/cults. 

Both the book and the audiobook are out now. Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced copy.

January TBR

Here's what I want to get to in January.

1.  Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane

2. Saga issue #55 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples

3. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

4. Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

5. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

6. Tears of Amber by Sofia Segovia

7.  The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

8. Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty

9. Cost of Living by Emily Maloney (ARC) 

10. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

December Wrap Up

 In December I read 4 fantasy books.

I picked up The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden to finish out the trilogy. A snowy wintery read that was nearly perfect. As it is the third book, I don't want to say what it was about but I loved it and gave it 4.5 stars.

I read The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant. This was a cute children's fantasy about different clans of "makers" and a king that needed their help. It was silly and fun and I gave it 4 stars.

Next I read A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske. I knew there was a M/M romance in this, but didn't realize it was smutty. A man who doesn't know about magic gets a cursed tattoo and a magician tries to help him. I enjoyed this quite a lot and will continue on with the series when new books are released. 4 stars.

I read The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu. I'd heard fun things about a magical school, and while that wasn't quite true, I still enjoyed this story immensely. A girl yells at a sorcerer and is sent to a troubled girls school where she has to learn "manners". She makes friends and uncovers a long-held secret. I flew through this and gave it 5 stars.

I'm in the middle of another book that is an ARC, so I'll review it separately.

Owned Audiobooks Prior to 2022

 I will probably buy audiobooks next year, but since my resolution is to target audiobooks purchased prior to 2022, I'm writing out all of my options. I didn't pay full price for all of these but I did for some and need to read them. I have 60+ titles.

Audiobooks I bought before 2022:

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rivka Brunt

Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides

The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande

American War by Omar El-Akkad

A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion

The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Tears of Amber by Sofia Segovia

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchinson

The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

Arcadia by Iain Pears

The Axe and the Throne by M.D. Ireman

Spin by Robert Charles Wilson

Unmentionable by Therese Oneill

The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

The Lighting-Struck Heart by TJ Klune

Wolf Song by TJ Klune

Good Talk by Mira Jacob

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

Girl at War by Sara Novic

The Collected Schizophrenias by Esme Weijun Wang

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks

Women of Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

A History of Loneliness by John Boyne

The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh

Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson

Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc

Children of the Land by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo

Song of a Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik

Follow Me to Ground by Sue Rainford

Pines by Blake Crouch

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

The Yield by Tara June Winch

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Soulless by Gail Carringer

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Sin Eater by Megan Campisi

Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Ngyuen

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

The Five by Hallie Rubenfold

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T. Kira Madden

From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

The Collector by John Fowles

Red Sister by Mark Lawerence

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Lock In by John Scalzi

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Barkskins by Annie Proulx

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison

Ohio by Stephen Markley

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Anticipated 2022 Releases

 I wrote up a list of anticipated releases last year and while I didn't get to all of them, I liked organizing it all in one place. So I'm going to do it again this year.

Updated 3/20/22

January

Saga Issue #55 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

February

What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris

Where I Can't Follow by Ashley Blooms

A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers who Used Them by Neil Bradbury

March

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

True Biz by Sara Novic

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

April

Still Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton

A Sign for Home by Blair Fell

May

June

July

Heat Wave by TJ Klune (3rd in the series)

August

The Spear Cuts Through the Water- by Simon Jimenez

Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston (2nd in series)

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

September

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

October 

Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (4th in the series)

November

December

The 12 Books I want to get to in 2022

 I make a priority list of 12 books each year, and I've been getting better at actually reading them. So, here's what they are:

1. A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

2. Party Monster by James St. James

3. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

4. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane

5. Fences by August Wilson

6.  Triangle: The Fire that Changed America by David von Drehl

7.  Kindred by Octavia Butler

8.  Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston

9. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

10.  We are Satellites by Sarah Pinsker

11. How High we Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

12. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Bookish New Year's Resolutions

 Well, now that I've failed my resolutions, time to set up new ones for a new year. I will be keeping one from this year which is to DNF whenever I'm not enjoying reading.

1. Read at least 15 nonfiction books in the year.

2. Listen to 12 audiobooks I've purchased before 2022.

3. Read at least 24 books from my owned shelf prior to 2022.

4. Complete Read Harder's 24 challenges.

Goals Check-In

 This year was a shitshow in terms of my physical and mental health. I read way less than normal. However, I wanted to check in on my goals in order to set realistic goals for next year.

1. Read 12 of my unread books where I own 2 or more books by the same author.

The only author I did this with was Simone St. James. I read both of her books I had on my shelves. 

2. Read 24 books unread on previous TBRs. I've been making TBRs for a little over three years and have plenty of books I haven't gotten to yet.

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

No Exit by Taylor Adams

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

3. Read 9 of my purchased Audible books.

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez 

No Exit by Taylor Adams

All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks

4. Read 6 classics.

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

Bread Givers by Anzia Yezeirska.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

5. Continue with series I've already started.

I finished The Brown Sisters trilogy by Talia Hibbert

I finished the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers

I read the next Scholomance book by Naomi Novik.

Lastly my Top 12 books I wanted to read this year:

1. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

2. The Betrayals by Bridget Collins   DNF

3. The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

4. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

5. Abbadon’s Gate by James S.A. Corey

6. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Minstry

7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

8. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

9. Blindness by Jose Saramago

10. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

11. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

12. Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

DNF'd books in the second half of the year

 I'm getting better with stopping a book when I'm not enjoying it. As a result, the majority of my reading were rated 4 and 5 stars. Sometimes I worried I wasn't giving the book enough of a chance, but there are so many books that interest me, so I have to draw the line somewhere. These are the books I decided not to finish in the second half of the year.

All the Names Given by Raymond Antrobus. This is his second poetry collection. I enjoyed his first, but these poems didn't impact me and after reading 60% of it, I decided to stop wasting my time.

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. I read 200+ pages when I decided that it wasn't holding my attention. The narrative seemed meandering and more focused on war than I wanted. Definitely a taste thing, nothing wrong with the book itself.

We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida. I only read 4 or 5 chapters but felt bored.

Sabrina by Nick Drnaso. This is a graphic novel that won awards but I have no idea why. The art is plain and so nondescript, I couldn't tell if the characters were male or female or who any of them were. The plot wasn't at all compelling so I put it down.

The Betrayals by Bridget Collins. This is her second book and I decided to pick it up after loving her debut. While her writing was pretty, it felt like nothing was happening. This was quite disappointing.

Only 5 in the last six months. I hope that indicates that I'm getting better at predicting which books I'll enjoy.

December TBR

 I have so many more books I wanted to read this year, but realistically, I'll probably only get to about 6. Wow, I'm in the mood for fantasy. This is what I plan to read:

Storm of Echoes by Christelle Dabos

The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

All the Names Given by Raymond Antrobus

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

November Wrap Up

 I read 8 books in November. This was probably my best reading month this year!

I read Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin. This was a story about a young woman who died on vacation and her sister investigating what really happened several years later. I was enjoying the story but the ending felt unfinished and left me unsatisfied. I gave it 3 stars.

Because of my reading slump, I decided to reread my favorite book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I love this story and the characters so much and feel it helped pique my interest in reading again. I always give it 5 stars.

Comedy Sex God by Pete Holmes was the first nonfiction book I read. This was a comedian telling his life story about growing up in a religious household and how his spiritual journey evolved. I loved this first half, it literally had me laughing out loud. However, the last part wasn't funny and felt more philosophical which wasn't for me. I gave it 4 stars.

After that I was in the mood for American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Essentially, it's a road trip novel with old gods and new gods preparing for war. I didn't like it as much as I hoped but it was still enjoyable. I awarded it 3.5 stars.

My second nonfiction pick was In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Even though it's a classic, I'd never read it nor knew any of its content. I was blown away by the writing and the story. Very compelling narrative nonfiction. I gave it 5 stars.

Then because I was feeling in the mood for a fast paced mystery, I picked up A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. The whole premise is completely unbelievable and I almost DNF'd it but I looked at some reviews that said the ending was worth it. It was fine and I agree the ending was satisfying. I gave it 3 stars.

The last nonfiction book I read this month was All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks. Incredible! This woman is like a modern-day Mother Theresa in the way that she helped several AIDS patients get care, file for government help, and held their hand while they died. It even was left to her to dispose of their bodies as nobody wanted anything to do with AIDS patients. She narrates the audiobook herself and it was phenomenal. 5 stars!

Finally, I read the novella Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. It's a historical fictional novel set in Ireland that focuses on a man. Because it's so short, I don't feel I can say much else. However, the pacing was off, and the main plot was left unfinished. It deserved more pages. I gave it 2.5 stars.

November TBR

 Like every November, I am participating in Nonfiction November. Because of my slump, I'm only choosing to read 3 nonfiction books along with some fiction choices. I'm also ignoring the key word challenges.

1. All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks

2. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

3. Comedy Sex God by Pete Holmes

4. The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden 

5. City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

6. Storm of Echoes by Christelle Dabos

October Wrap Up

 Well, I read 4 out of the 6, and DNF'd 1 so I think I did pretty well. However the last few days I've been starting and stopping loads of books, never fulling invested in any of them. November may be a difficult month for reading.

The first I read was Set Me Free by Ann Clare LeZotte. This was a middle grade novel about a young Deaf girl who tries to teach another child a way to communicate. The historical information about Deaf people near Martha's Vineyard was fascinating and the story was compelling. I gave it 4 stars.

Then I picked up The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. I liked this sequel, but was disappointed with the cliffhanger at the end. Additionally, the cliffhanger from the first book wasn't answered. Even so, I enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars.

Next was a highly anticipated read called Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. So many people compared it to Becky Chambers' books but it fell flat. I found myself bored and the pacing was quite uneven. I gave it 3 stars because her characters were fantastic but the plot was lacking.

Then I chose Bread Givers by Anzia Yezeriska. This is a classic about a young woman from an immigrant family growing up in the early 1900s. She bucks tradition and society by refusing to support her father who doesn't work and only wants to study the Torah. I felt charmed by this book and by her convictions. I gave it 4 stars.

The last one I finished was Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm. This is a middle grade science fiction story about a traumatic event on a space ship that forces the children to take control. They have to navigate fixing ship features, running from space pirates, and navigating to a safe place. I felt this story was great up until the ending. I felt it lacked an ending and needed another 100 pages or so. I gave it 3 stars.

I started but ultimately DNF'd We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida. I gave it 20% but I'm in a slump and it wasn't holding my attention.

October TBR

 I did a much better job reading this past month so I will set a TBR. I'm still a bit slumpy so we'll see if it happens.

1. Set me Free by Ann Clare LeZotte

2. The Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

3. The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

4. Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska

5. We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida

6. Storm of Echoes by Christelle Dabos 

September Wrap-Up

 Well, I completed all 7 challenges for the Orillium Readathon. However, I definitely switched out some of my choices. This is what I read.

1. Read a book with a map- I read Malamander by Thomas Taylor. This is a middle grade book focusing on a local legend of a fish man who lays a magical egg one night. Two children get caught up in the mystery. It was fun, but nothing special. I gave it 3 stars.

2. Top of my TBR- I eagerly picked up TJ Klune's Under the Whispering Door. The very latest of his books focusing on a man named Wallace Price who dies and only learns his humanity after he meets a ferryman who is supposed to lead him to the next stage. I felt Wallace was so unlikeable that his growth seems unrealistic. Also it was dark, missing the levity of his usual books. I gave it 3 stars.

3. Read a standalone- I read The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Maryanne Cronin. A heartwarming story of a young girl who befriends an elderly woman while they're both in the hospital. Through flashbacks, we see what happened in their lives to shape them into the people they are today. Plus queer rep. I really enjoyed this though it was very sad. I gave it 4 stars.

4. Read a book featuring supernatural elements- For this one, I picked up The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden. This is the second in the trilogy, focusing on politics of the capital and a shifty sorcerer. I can't say much due to it being a sequel but I enjoyed it immensely. I gave it 4 stars.

5. Read a thriller or mystery- I finally decided to try a Nicci French novel with Losing You. It's about a woman whose teenage daughter is missing and she searches desperately to find her or figure out what happened. I found the pacing incredibly slow, especially since the plot happens in one day. Additionally, I guessed what happened about halfway through. Not believable or enjoyable really. I gave it 2.5 stars.

6. Read a 5 star prediction- I chose When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed. A graphic memoir that also had an audiobook. It tells the story of Omar and his brother growing up in a refugee camp. It was very compelling but not quite a 5 star book. I gave it 4 stars.

7. Read a book with a school setting- I chose another TJ Klune book with Flash Fire. Another sequel, this time following teenage superheroes. I liked the characters and felt their growth was believable. I gave it 3 stars.

Orillium Readathon/September TBR

 The Youtube channel Book Roast is resuming her magical readathon with all new fantasy worlds. I'm hoping this will be the kick I need to get out of my reading slump. There are seven prompts but I need to complete at least 2 to participate in the upcoming April readathon. I will pick 7 books but will still consider it a success if I can read 2. I'm a mood reader so some of these are subject to change.

Here are the prompts:

Read a book with a map- Endurance by Alfred Lansing

Top of my TBR- Climbing the Date Tree by Shira Glassman or The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn

Read a standalone- We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida

Featuring ghosts or supernatural elements- The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden or The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Thriller or mystery book- Losing You by Nicci French or Hostage by Clare MacIntosh

5 star prediction- When the Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson

Book with a school setting- The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan or The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

August Wrap Up

 Surprisingly, I finished one book this month. I'm actually proud of it, because I started several books and fizzled out quickly.

The book I finished was How to be a Movie Star by TJ Klune. This is a companion novel to How to be Normal. It focuses on Josiah Erickson who lives in L.A. trying to make it as an actor. He's an affable stoner who is great at radio trivia and wins a prize to see a poetry reading. There he meets Q-bert and the rest of the story is their relationship developing. They were fun, likable characters with some real issues and great representation for mental health and demi-sexuality. A lot of it was absurd, but it made me laugh out loud and hopefully broke my slump. I gave it 4 stars and highly recommend.

July Wrap Up

 In July I was ill but I managed to read 5 books. I have since not been reading so there won't be an August TBR.

The first book I finished was Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This is my fourth book of hers I've read, and I will say she does a good job creating fake celebrities. The book focuses on a family whose father is a rock star and the impact he has on them. I enjoyed it and felt it was a compulsive read, but pretty forgettable. I gave it 3 stars.

Then I listened to The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson. This is a children's fantasy story about a magical land that can only be accessed for a limited time and a child is stolen. A band of magical people vow to get him back. I enjoyed it but wanted more. I gave it 3 stars.

Next I picked up Dealing with Dragons by Patrica Wrede. A cute story about a princess who runs off to live with dragons and doesn't want the knight to rescue her. I gave it 3 stars.

Afterwards, I read The Space Between Stars by Michaiah Johnson. I really enjoyed this science fiction story about a woman who could travel to parallel universes. While it took a while to get going, I really enjoyed the main characters and how the story resolved. I gave this 4 stars and will eagerly anticipate any future books by this author.

Lastly, I picked up the novella The Psalm of the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. She is one of my favorite authors, but this was not on her usual level. I felt the characters were undeveloped, her world-building was almost non-existent, and no real plot. It felt like a slog to get through. I gave it 2 stars.

July TBR

 I hoping this will be a better month but if I find my reading doesn't want to follow a list, then I will stop making them. I'm going to aim for 4 books.

1. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

2. The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

3. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

4. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

June Wrap Up

 Well, this was by far my worst reading month. I read two books.

The first was a re-read of The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. This was magical, hopeful, and delightful. I gave it 5 stars yet again!

The last book was The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. This was a creepy supernatural mystery about a young woman who disappeared and her niece trying to piece together what happened 35 years later. I really enjoyed the mystery and felt compelled to keep reading. I ended up giving it 4 stars.

DNF'd Books From the First 6 Months

 I've DNF'd many more books than I normally do. In the first half of 2021, these are the books I stopped reading:

Kent State by Derf Backderf. This is a graphic biography of the Kent State shooting of anti-war protesters in the 1970s. I read about 40 pages but felt I needed more background knowledge to read this. Additionally, the print was really tiny and the artwork did a poor job in making characters look distinctive so I knew who was in the scene. Also, it's a super depressing topic and I found myself not wanting to pick it back up.

The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams. This was just an example of a book not being for me. I found it boring, with little to no intrigue. I read about 95 pages before giving up.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. I didn't read very far into it before giving up. I am not in the mood for dystopian with a dangerous and charismatic leader. I will try again at some point.

Kink: Stories edited by R.O. Kwan and Garth Greenwell. This is a collection of short stories focusing on the BDSM lifestyle. I'm very open-minded and thought I'd enjoy this. However, I read 4 stories which all included something not sexy that took me out of the story. For example, talking about dirty sex and then thinking about gutting a fish, religious ideations, and a woman having sex even when she didn't want to. After loathing picking up the book, I finally decided to quit. This was a difficult decision because this was an ARC and the only ARC I've ever refused to finish and review.

Lost at Sea by Bryan Lee O'Malley. This is a graphic novel about a group of teens making a road trip. I stopped roughly 40% of the way through, mainly due to boredom. I felt the characters weren't well fleshed out, the plot was weak, and the art style was nothing special. It's a bummer because I've read his work before and enjoyed it.

The last one is Sick and Tired: An Intimate History of Fatigue by Emily K. Abel. This is a nonfiction book about the history of fatigue and how it long wasn't considered a medical problem, just a symptom of other illnesses. I read three chapters but it was very dry and I wasn't in the right place to read it. I will likely pick it back up at some point, but wrong timing caused me to DNF.

June TBR

 I seem to read about 4 books a month so I'm going to keep this short.

June is Pride Month so I'm hoping to squeeze in some queer reads!

1. The Betrayals by Bridget Collins

2. The Yield by Tara June Winch (I don't think it's queer but it's my book club book.)

3. All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks

4. Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

5. (if time permits) a re-read of The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

May Wrap Up

 So while I didn't read many books this month, I read two amazing ones. I also DNF'd one that will be added to my DNF list that I hope to publish in late June.

Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. I was excited for a Depression-era book that focused on the Dust Bowl and the fate of farmers in the Midwest. The story is about a young woman who is unloved and shunned by her family. When a guy gives her some attention, she sleeps with him and she becomes pregnant. She moves in with his family and works the farm until the Dust Bowl hits. The rest is her trying to survive and keep her family alive too. I liked it but felt the author purposely made an ending that was emotionally manipulative. This has happened in all three books of hers that I've read and it ruins it. I gave it 3 stars but won't read her again.

Love and Pajamas by Catana Chetwynd. I found this cute graphic novel on my library app and decided to read it. The art is simple and focuses on a woman and her boyfriend. It felt very relatable but also fragmented; more like a series of comic strips than a story. Because there wasn't a cohesive narrative, I gave it 3.5 stars.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston. Wow! I love magical school settings and this fantastic. I'm glad it will be a series because I need MORE! It focuses on a young girl whose brother disappeared 6 months prior. She gets a secret message from him and an initiation into a secret magical school. There she learns new skills, makes friends and enemies, and tries to find her brother. 5 stars.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I felt so lucky to get another 5 star book after the previous one. This is Weir's third novel and by far his best! A man named Ryland Grace wakes up with amnesia on a space ship and tries to work out why he's there and once he remembers that, he tries to find a solution to the problem that put him in space. The book made me laugh out loud multiple times, gave me a new favorite character "Rocky" and literally made me tear up at the end. The world-building is wonderful, the science and math are a lot, but easy enough to get the gist. This damn well may be a new favorite book...I'll have to sit with it to be sure but Wow!

May TBR

I recognize this is a bit more ambitious than normal but I've really been enjoying reading again and I'm hoping to read a bit more this month.

1.  The Coffin Ship: Life and Death at Sea During the Great Irish Famine by Cian T. McMahon  (This is a nonfiction ARC)

2.  Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

3. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

4. All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks

5. Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston

6. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

7.  Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey

8.  How to be a Movie Star by T.J. Klune

April Wrap Up

 This month I read 4 books and DNF'd 1. I'll include my DNF'd books in a separate post.

I read Broken (in the best way) by Jenny Lawson. This is her third book I've read and I found it just as funny and poignant on the topic of mental health as her previous two. There were moments where I related so hard to her struggles and other times where I literally laughed out loud at her absurd situations. Definitely recommend and I gave it 5 stars.

Next I picked up Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris. A middle-grade mystery to do with circus folk, magicians, and con men. I really enjoyed this story and loved the author-narrated audiobook. I gave it 4 stars and intend to read the rest of the quartet.

My hold from the library came in so I read the graphic memoir The Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna. The book details his rocky birth in war-torn Cambodia and his family's survival of the Khmer Rouge. This was illuminating and horrifying. I gave the book 4 stars.

The last book I finished was The Ground, and the Galaxy Within by Becky Chambers. I enjoyed this so much. The premise is that four aliens are stuck on a "truck stop" planet and learn more about each other's culture and history. While this was not my favorite in the companion series, it was heart warming, sweet, and engaging. I gave it 5 stars.

So, I'm reading less but my ratings have been very high. Quality over quantity.

Life Update

 My mental and physical health have been tanking recently. I've been diagnosed with another ailment that basically can only be treated, but ineffectively so I'm a great deal of pain and/or discomfort. This has been it increasingly difficult to focus on reading. Because of this, I've decided that in order to try to reach my goals, I really should limit reading books from the library because I'm not making a dent on my owned TBR. It also doesn't help matters when I keep buying more books. However, sometimes a bit of retail therapy can boost my mood so I'm not going to put myself on a book-buying ban.

I do have 2 ARCs coming up that I will make efforts to read early and review but many of my goals this year will likely not be reached and I will just have to make peace with myself. I seem to be able to read 4-5 books a month and I have to remind myself, that's pretty good.  Sure, compared to 10-12, it's a bit meager but quality, not quantity is something to keep as my mantra.

It's weird how this pandemic has really changed my reading. I used to love dreary sad literary books and now I primarily want escapism through science fiction and fantasy. I'm especially enjoying children's books because they always contain some hope, even if they focus on sad subjects. I'm curious if my reading tastes will change back, or if this will be more permanent. 

April TBR

 Well, my slump continues so I'm going to curate a very small list of books I hope to get to in April.

1.  The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

2. Broken (In the Best Possible Way) by Jenny Lawson

3.  The Familiars by Stacey Halls

4. Kent State by Derf Backderf

5. Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna

March Wrap Up

I usually wrap up my reading in at least two parts, but this month I only read 5 books. 

I started off March reading my ARC The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. I've written a separate review so to sum up, I gave it 4 stars.

Eagerly, I read The Push by Ashley Audrain. It has been compared to We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver and I loved that book. It is very similar, but unfortunately it didn't do much new with it and there weren't any twists I didn't see coming. It was enjoyable during the time but ultimately forgettable. I gave it 3 stars.

Since I was participating in Middle Grade March, I then read A Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly. This was a sweet story of a Deaf child wanting to help out a whale that sings in his own pitch and cannot communicate with other whales. While the story was good, I found part of the plot very implausible. I gave it 3 stars. I think children would like this better than I did.

I was in the mood for funny when I choose I Want to be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom. I have seen her t.v. show and thought she was fun and wacky and I would enjoy her essays. While the writing is standard, some of her stories were just so hilarious. I listened to this on audiobook that she narrates herself, and I highly recommend it. 4 stars.

Lastly, I finished Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert. This is the third book following the Brown sisters and focuses on the youngest of the three, Eve. She is a hot-mess and impulsively decides to interview for a cook job at a B&B. She and the owner do not like each other at first, but the quickly warm to each other. This is my least favorite of the three, but I still found it compulsively readable. I award it 3 stars.

Trying out the Book Oracle at my Library

 My library has started a new service where you can fill out a short reading survey, and in 1 week, they will curate a list of 8-10 books for you to read. I already have so many on my TBR but was hoping it might overlap with my current TBR to let me know what to prioritize. Even if it's all new books, that's fun too! Here's the info I put in, and here's what they recommended.

I liked fantasy, science fiction, and literary fiction. I mentioned I do not like stream of consciousness, war, or romance. I also included some favorite books and authors. I wanted strong friendships and inclusive writing.

Here's what I was recommended:

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik- This wasn't on my list but I recently read another book by Novik that I really enjoyed so I'll add it to my ever-expanding TBR.

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong- Also not on my list but definitely fits a lot of my criteria.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune- An absolute favorite. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab- I've read it but didn't want to continue on.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee- On my TBR. Probably will move it up.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells- I've also read this and enjoyed it. Perhaps I should continue on in the series.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi- Also read and really enjoyed

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson- Another I've already read but thought was "meh"

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams- Another I've read and enjoyed.

Of these 9, I've read 6 so they were pretty spot-on with my tastes. I'll try it again in a few months and with different criteria to see what else I'm recommended. Maybe I should link my goodreads account next time so they don't duplicate books I've already read. 

ARC Review of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

 The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a debut novel that includes two timelines. The past timeline focuses on an apothecary woman named Nella who creates poisons for women who want to kill their abusive or adulterous husbands, in addition to making remedies that help women's medical issues. In the present timeline, a woman named Caroline flies to London for what is supposed to be an anniversary trip, but ends up traveling alone after finding out her husband cheated on her. She goes mudlarking in the Thames and finds a vial which leads her to research the apothecary. The stories eventually come together.

Overall, I really liked this story. In the beginning, I was definitely favoring the past timeline and was less interested in Caroline but as the story proceeded, I became interested in them both. Both women have been wronged by the men in their life. The character development was really well fleshed out, especially for a debut novel. There is a little twist at the end which I found enjoyable and did not anticipate. I listened to the audiobook which was well done and I would recommend it. I gave it 4 stars.

This book comes out March 2, 2021. Thanks to Netgalley for an early audio proof.

February Wrap Up

Well, I guess my February TBR was too ambitious knowing that the new Mario game was coming out too.

I only read 4 books this month but they were all enjoyable so that's great.

First I read Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker. This was a fascinating look at a family with 12 children, in which half were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Their DNA helped advanced research into schizophrenia and also gave a look at how the healthy siblings were affected. I gave it 5 stars. 

Next I picked up The Second Mango by Shira Glassman. This was a fun fantasy book I found out about from a list saying it was similar to TJ Klune's writing. This was a fun romp about a lesbian princess looking for her love with the help of a cross-dressing knight and her dragon/horse. It was fun, hilarious, touching, and even surprising. I gave it 4 stars.

Because I was in a slump, I wanted a page-turner so I chose No Exit by Taylor Adams. This follows a college student who is on her way to visit her mother when a snow storm forces her to pull off at a rest stop. She discovers a child being held in a cage in one of the other cars and tries to figure out who is the kidnapper. I liked it but felt it went on a bit too long and became unrealistic. I gave it 3 stars.

Lastly, I picked up our book club pick which was The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels. I fell in love with this book and the main character Brian who is dying of AIDS. It is set in the 1980s and a young gay man who has AIDS goes back to his rural conservative home in Ohio to die. He faces all sorts of criticism, rejection, and downright hate. It was incredibly moving and I gave it 5 stars.

So, two 5 star reads in a month is really great. I think it helps make up for the fact that I read so little.

March TBR

 Well, February was a bit of a slumpy month for me so I'm a bit apprehensive putting up such an ambitious TBR. However, that's what I do. Here's what I'd love to read in March.

These first three are for the readathon "Middle Grade March"

1. Where the Mountains Meet the Moon by Grace Lin

2. Song of a Whale by Lynne Kelley

3. Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris

4. Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey

5. The Push by Ashley Audrain

6. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

7.  Child of the Dark by Carolina Maria de Jesus 

8. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Februrary TBR

 I've had a lot of library holds come in so I'll be focusing on them more than my owned shelf this month. I'm still picking books that will fulfill my goals and challenges.

1. Habibi by Craig Thompson

2. The Second Mango by Shira Glassman

3. Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

4. Child of the Dark by Carolina Maria de Jesus 

5. No Exit by Taylor Adams

6. The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels

7. Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

8. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner (ARC for March)

January Wrap Up #2

Since I last updated you, I've read three more books.

I picked up a graphic memoir called A Puff of Smoke by Sarah Lippett. This was her story of growing up with a mysterious medical condition and how it shaped her childhood. She focused on feeling like an outsider and how it affected her relationships with others. I thought it was inspiring and I really related to it. I gave it 5 stars.

For my classic, I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. I'd never read this or seen the movie but have a real interest in psychology so I was eager to pick it up. There were a lot of outdated terms, slurs, and misogyny but I felt like the story was very compelling. I gave it 3.5 stars and watched the movie adaptation shortly after.

Finally, I read The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. I was nervous about this book because I knew it was a slow, character-driven story which I wasn't sure I was in the mood for. However, I loved it. The atmosphere was incredible, the folklore incredibly interesting, and a strong independent female character! I can't wait for the sequel. I gave it 4 stars.

I also DNF'd 1 book but I think I'll talk about all my DNFs together in a few months.

Series I've started and intend to finish

I mostly read stand alone books but as I've gotten a bit more into science fiction and fantasy, I've started to read more series. As one of my goals is to continue making progress in series I've started, I decided to compile a list to help me keep myself focused. Here are the series I've started and intend to continue. 

1. The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey

I've read the first two books in the 9 book series.

2. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

I've also read the first two and love them on audiobook. This is a long series though so I won't finish it this year.

3. The Mirror Visitor Quartet by Christelle Dabos

I've read the first three and I'm waiting for the fourth to be published in English.

4. The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

I've read 2 out of the 3.

5. The Scholomance by Naomi Novik

I've read the first. I'm not sure how many will be in this series but intend to keep reading.

6. The Brown Sisters Trilogy by Talia Hibbert

This is more companion novels than an actual series but I intend to read the third one when it comes out this year.

7. The Wayfarers by Becky Chambers

Again, companion novels but I intend to read the fourth and last one this year.

January Wrap Up #1

 After a bit of a slow start, I've now completed 5 books in the first half of January.

The first book of the year that I finished was The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez. It is a character driven science fiction novel focusing on a group of interstellar travelers who are trying to discover a secret that could revolutionize their way of life. The chapters focused on different characters and I found myself wanting to stay with these intricately drawn people. I was blown away and couldn't believe this was a debut novel. Will definitely pick up his future work. 4.5 stars

I read Troubled by Kenneth Rosen. I did a full review in an earlier post but in summary, 2 stars.

Next I read Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar. This was weird because I went into it knowing it was fiction but it read very much like snapshots from a memoir. The main character has the author's name, job, and lives in the same location. It really read like a memoir but despite its unconventional set up, I really enjoyed it. He focuses on immigrant's experience with feeling like they belong in two worlds, but also none. There were lots of politics and business references in here which sometimes made me feel like I wasn't smart enough to understand but I kept wanting to learn more. I gave it 4 stars.

I listened to a poetry collection called Earth Keeper by N. Scott Momaday. 2 stars. I listened to this for my Reader Harder challenge of a book of nature poems. This had a theme of taking care of the earth through Native American folklore-type poems. It wasn't my thing but it was fine. 

Lastly, I read The Broken Girls by Simone St. James. This has two timelines, one in 1950 at a haunted boarding school and one in 2014 with a journalist writing about the restoration of the boarding school. The ghost elements were creepy and unsettling and the mystery of the death of someone kept me hooked. I really liked this book and it was almost 5 stars, but the modern storyline was a little slow for me to get into so I will give it 4.5 stars.

ARC Review of Troubled by Kenneth Rosen

Troubled by Kenneth Rosen is a nonfiction book about different programs for troubled teens. The author himself went to a "scared straight" type program when he was a teenager. He focuses on three types of programs: wilderness, boarding school, and more restrictive residential treatment.

He chooses to tell the stories of four individual teens who go through these various programs. Their stories were very compelling and illuminating to read. However, that's where my praise for this book stops. His writing is poor, his opinion incredibly biased, and he presents his opinions without facts that back him up. His thesis is, "This book hopes to show that in many, if not all, cases these programs do more harm than good." After reading this book, I do not believe that. I was convinced that these programs need to be overhauled, that the adults who run these programs need more training and more regulation. 

One reason he says these programs should be ended is the death rate. He points out deaths that occurred during the programs. Some were due to drugs, some suicide, and others were caused by the adults restricting food allowances. However, after teens died from the lack of food, regulations were put into place requiring a minimum of 1800 calories to prevent that from occurring again. Additionally, these are teens who were doing drugs, self harming, prostituting themselves, and engaging in other risky behaviors. I think a factor to consider is how many would've died regardless.

Another of his arguments is that he thinks "he would've grown out of it." and thus his parents shouldn't have sent him away. It is possible of course, but many parents intervene because they fear the real damage their children could do without getting help. Again, drug use, prostitution, and committing other crimes are all things that would have long-term negative consequences and it is incredibly naïve to think they'll just outgrow it.  

He says near the end of the book that parents of unruly teens ask him if he benefited from the programs he was sent to and he ponders whether it helped him. He writes, "Far as I can tell, I never really shed that troubled past. I still steal things or shoplift from time to time though I call it 'casual liberation.' I drive recklessly. I disrespect authority figures. I make risky financial decisions. I test the limits of my family's patience." At another part he includes information that he has spent time in jail for attempted armed robbery and attempted murder of his girlfriend. I'm baffled as to why he included that information because it definitely undermines the idea that he would just "grow out of it."

Lastly, the bias made this difficult to read. He only mentions at the end that one of the four teens whose story he tells was a friend he met during his time in a program. At the beginning, he said he chose these four because their experience best summed up the experience. Additionally and more importantly, he would state an opinion, only to follow it up with contradictory or confusing facts.  Here's an example: "In many studies, clients have indicated that wilderness therapy was productive for them during and immediately after it and the rest of their treatment. Interviews have shown that the clients usually did not continue to develop in the years after wilderness treatment, aside from the usual maturation of the adolescent brain and personality. Because a patient is swiftly reintroduced to their old peer groups, they shed any skills learned while in therapy. The transition is abrupt, and the tools learned in the wilderness are lose outside of a controlled environment. Yet the experience does not derail them socially, which may be the best benefit to a swift return." 

Another example of him providing contradictory information was about a survey parents filled out after consulting whether or not to try wilderness therapy. "The group, divided into those who had enrolled their children and those who had decided against the wilderness and residential track, showed a remarkable difference in outcomes among the children. Fifteen months after the initial call with the consultant, those who were admitted to a program showed few signs of the behavior that got them sent away. Those who instead stayed home and attended regular therapy or community sessions were still 'dysfunctional'." So here he provides at least anecdotal evidence from the parents that this program works better than not doing it. This book was full of examples like this.

The last example I'll share is one he included from a Facebook post written by a "survivor" of one of these programs. "Overall, I do believe that the Program has helped change my life and has been a major influence in the way I think and act today." This directly undermines the idea that these programs cause more psychological harm than good.

Overall, this book is biased, poorly and confusingly written, and doesn't succeed in convincing me that these programs should be shut down. While he highlights problems that I do think need to be addressed, he never convinces me that these programs should be entirely eliminated. I do not recommend this book to anyone. I give the book two stars for at least including the compulsively readable anecdotes and thank Netgalley for an early copy. This book is published on January 12, 2021.

A Late January TBR

 So I thought I'd already published this post, but I apparently haven't. This is my TBR for January.

1. Troubled by Kenneth Rosen (this is an ARC due out January 12th)

2. Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez

3. Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar

4. Kink edited by K.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell (another ARC due out in February)

5. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

6. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

7. A Puff of Smoke by Sarah Lippett

8. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

12 books I want to read in 2021

 12 Books I want to read in 2021

1. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

2. The Betrayals by Bridget Collins

3. The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

4. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

5. Abbadon’s Gate by James S.A. Corey

6. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Minstry

7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

8. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

9. Blindness by Jose Saramago

10. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

11. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

12. Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

If by the end of 2021, I am not at least mostly successful with this list, I will no longer create lists like these.

2021 Goals

 Here are my goals for 2021:

1. Read 12 of my unread books where I own 2 or more books by the same author.

Some possible authors would be:

• Maggie O'Farrell
• John Boyne
• Brandon Sanderson
• Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
• James S.A. Corey
• Sarah Waters
• Mary Doria Russell

2. Read 24 books unread on previous TBRs. I've been making TBRs for a little over three years and have plenty of books I haven't gotten to yet.

3. Read 9 of my purchased Audible books.

4. Read 6 classics.

5. Continue with series I've already started. I will make a later post about series I've started and plan to finish.

Lastly, my overall goal is to enjoy reading. I've participated in many challenges over the last few years to broaden my reading but as a result, I've slogged through some unenjoyable reads. I want to DNF books I'm not enjoying and hopefully have no 1 or 2 star books other than ARCs. (I will make myself finish those.)

December Wrap up #2

 So I decided to read a lot of graphic novels to try to bust out of my slump. It worked somewhat. Here's what I read since my last update.

I picked up the first three volumes of Avatar the Last Airbender: The Promise by Gene Luen Yang. This picked up right after the tv show and was pretty amusing although I felt the resolution was a bit of a cop-out. However, they hinted towards trying to find Zuko's mother in the next volume so I'm keen to pick it up. I gave these volumes 3 stars.

Then I read The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang. This is another graphic novel about a prince who likes to wear dresses and his dressmaker who creates the most fabulous outfits. I liked the representation and positive messages about embracing yourself but I felt the ending was very unrealistic, even for a fairytale. I gave it 3 stars.

I checked out Waves by Ingrid Chabbert. This is a graphic novel based on her experience of trying to get pregnant but miscarrying halfway through her term. This focuses on the grief that came like waves and how she found her way through them by writing. It is a beautiful and sad story. I gave it 4 stars.

I also read Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O'Neill which was a queer fairytale about a princess who saves another princess locked in a tower. It was precious and had lots of positive messages. I gave it 3 stars.

The last comic I picked up was Rick and Morty Volume 1 by Zac Gorman. I have watched all four seasons of Rick and Morty and love the dark humor and wacky adventures. This first volume contained five stories that extend the show. It was just pure fun. I gave it 4 stars and will definitely be picking up the next volume.

I also read a middle grade book called Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte. This was a historical fiction based on an island near Martha's Vineyard that had a really high population of Deaf people. The people on this island created their own sign language in order to communicate and everyone (even hearing people) used it. The plot starts when a scientist comes to study the island to try to figure out why so many people are Deaf. This was riveting and it spurred me to learn more about this historical area. I gave it 4 stars.

The last book I finished in December was A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I listened to the Audible version that Tim Curry narrates. I'd never read the book but had seen different movie versions and was mostly aware of the story. This was so enjoyable. Tim Curry should narrate everything! Additionally, I'd heard Dickens was difficult to read because he was so verbose but I found it very accessible. I will definitely be picking up his work in the future. I gave it 5 stars.