July 2016 | Monthly Wrap Up

It's been a few months since I've done a monthly wrap up - I didn't do one for May or June - and I thought about doing a catch up one but decided against it. I finished a good few books in May, but only two in June, and July's been a pretty great reading month for me.

There was BookTubeAThon in July, which definitely helped with my reading - though, I didn't follow any of the challenges - and also rereading stuff. And mostly just getting myself back into the routine of it. Also - audiobooks.

I'm planning on making a whole post about why I've been so MIA, but I'm not sure if I will / if I have enough to say to make a whole post? Maybe I do, maybe it'll go up. Either way, the man thing is that my health isn't the best right now - mental and physical - and the fact that I've been exhausted for about two months now (actually, physically exhausted. Just getting waves of it) also isn't very good for, well, anything.

Books:
Shadow and Bone (Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo (4/5)
Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman (5/5)
Siege and Storm (Grisha Trilogy #2) by Leigh Bardugo (3/5)
The Machine Stops by E.M Forester (4/5)
Grinder (Seattle Sharks #1) by Samantha Whiskey (4/5)
The Khmer Kill by Barry Eisler (3/5)
Ruin and Rising (Grisha Trilogy #3) by Leigh Bardugo (3/5)
Fault Line by Barry Eisler (3.5/5)
Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse #2) by Charlaine Harris (3/5)
Club Dead (SS #3) by Charlaine Harris (3/5)
Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock #1) by Faith Hunter (5/5)
Dead to the World (SS #4) by Charlaine Harris (3/5)
Dead as a Doornail (SS #5) by Charlaine Harris (3.5/5)

Graphic Novels/Comics:
Fruits Basket: Collectors Edition, Volume 1 by Natsuki Takaya (5/5)

First of all, about what I read this month - 13 books, 1 other. And 8 of which were audiobooks, which surprises me, and 7 of which were reread (not completely overlapping). And I spent over fifty hours reading this month, which is awesome. I'm using a time logging app, which I believe I've mentioned that before, and mostly it started with wanting to keep track of my reading. And now I'm keeping track of everything, and it's kind of awesome? And terrifying.

Now, about what I actually read: I was a little disappointed rereading The Grisha Trilogy, which I wasn't that surprised by, but it definitely hit me more how annoying Mal is, how much the darkling sucks, and how Nikolai is someone I would of accepted a political marriage with in a heartbeat (listen, I know that isn't just me).

The Sookie Stackhouse reread started accidentally. I realized I could watch (rewatch) True Blood though Prime and started doing that and then missed the books - because the show take everything to eleven it's insane. And, sure, the books are crazy but way less so, and less complicated. They're definitely in need of some major editing, though, and also just in general are a little meh but I'm having fun (and I never read the last two, so I might as well continue and maybe finally finish this series).

Then I want to just really quickly talk about the two things I really loved this months, and then I promise to stop rambling. Skinwalker wasn't really anything i expected it to be. I listened to it and mostly because Audible randomly recommended it to me and I've never read just a book with a native america MC (which isn't acceptable) and I was kind of expecting whatever urban fantasy stuff. And did not expect to completely love it. I want to write a full review, because I want everyone to read it, highly recommended.

Fruits Basket is a manga (and anime) that I've talked about before, it's what got me into both, and I will love it forever. Period. And they're rereleasing it, in the US at least, in a new edition with a whole new translation, which I like more then the original translation. It has two of the original volumes in one and the first three - so the first six - are out already. If you're new to manga, or haven't read it yet: Fruits Basket, do it.

How was your reading month? Or month in general. Feel free to let me know!