Bout of Books 18 | Sign Up

Hello there, long time no talk. It's been a bit of a hectic few months, as every time I post here I say, but it might be evening out once 2017 starts. I'm not sure how well my participating in the beginning of this readathon will be, mostly because I'm having apartment guests for New Years (I want it to just be then so much, I miss my friends, and there will be four of us in the same place!!).

Anyway - Bout of Books. You guys all know it's my favorite readathon, Amanda and Kelly are awesome, and if you're interested in participating here's the little quote (with the blog link to sign up)

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 2nd and runs through Sunday, January 8th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 18 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I don't think I'll end up posting a TBR or anything, though since I realized how close it was I've been mentally adding things to the list. Like: I need to finish Words of Radiance, I'm dying to, but also want to get a head start on 2017 by knocking out a good few books so we'll see which wins out.

If you're participating let me know, with a link to your blog/twitter. (the twitter chats for this readathon are the best) Hope you all had a good Holiday season, I'm personally kind of relieved it's over, and hopefully a fantastic New Year (2017, be better).

October & November 2016 | Monthly Wrap Up(s)

Well October and November were certainly... something, let me tell you. The end of October was possibly just the best part of my year, if not the last few years. So many friends together for LeakyCon, and LeakyCon itself just was fantastic this year, and I miss everyone so much - even with the texting and skype, of course (Well, google hangouts are easier).

And Brianna - who I saw for the first time in over two years at Leaky, see why it was so ahhhh? - and I accidentally started like a full Sanderson reread? There's a few each of us haven't read, but mostly we're focusing on the cosmere. I'm currently in the middle of Words of Radiance (currently kind of taking a break from it because everything is a little crazy, we'll get into that). Really mostly cosmere, but I do want to reread books 1 & 2 of Alcatraz and then read the rest since all the new pretty editions are out, too.

Books:

• Asking for it (Asking for It #1) by Lilah Pace (4/5)
• Slaugherhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (5/5)
• Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo (5/5)
• Flight by Sherman Alexie (I still don't know?? I would recommend checking it out, though)
• Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo (5/5)
• The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives, #1) by Brandon Sanderson (5/5) (really 10/5)
• Dispatcher by John Scalzi (3/5)
• Her Halloween Treat (Men at Work #1) by Tiffany Reisz (4/5)
• Her Naughty Holiday (Men at Work #2) by Tiffany Reisz (4/5)
• Something Nice (Original Sinners #1.5) by Tiffany Reisz (5/5)
• Screwdrivered (Cocktail #3) by Alice Clayton
• The Siren (Original Sinners #1) by Tiffany Reisz (5/5)
• Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J Maas (3/5)
• Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J Maas (3/5)

Graphic Novels/Manga:

• Giant Days, Volume 3 by John Allison, Max Sarin (4/5)

I wouldn't say I had a bad two reading months - especially because I hit my goal of 100 books for the year (book books) at the very end of November, like the 30th, so that's fantastic. However, in november of books it doesn't feel like a lot. To be fair to myself, though, I've been working on Stormlight, as I mentioned. And, for some reason, I read those books super slow - I love every second of them, but they're just dense for me for some reason. (Which is why I'm still only halfway through WoR, as well). 

To off set that I read romance and YA Fantasy because I read those two the fastest and they're my light fluff reads - which is something I just noticed as I was going through this list. Also a few audiobooks because at the beginning of November a friend brought the Sims back into the forefront of my brain, new expansion pack released. and that was the end of that - so much audiobook time, though. 

Anyway - read quite a few Tiffany Reisz, accidentally started a reread of her Original Sinners series, which I love. Also loving her Men at Work series, but it's definitely not on the same level as Original Sinners - it's good, though, and the banter is pretty great. 

Six of Crows I already want to reread - I started it last year and stopped, but this time. Whoo, there was no stopping me, I tore through both books and loved them both so much. I love the characters and how we see how the world is after the events of the Grisha trilogy. And they're diverse, I love Jesper to my soul. And also Kaz has like chronic pain?? I just love this duology??

I don't normally go over everything I read but - Throne of Glass. I started the first book the year I came out because I got an ARC and then stopped halfway through about and never continued. And so I ended up picking it up again - audiobook, there's a theme here - and I finished it but I don't think I liked it? It's interesting and some of the scenes and enjoyed, but overall? I've very confused about how I feel about the first two books in this series, and I guess I'll keep reading it? I want to know what happens, and I've been spoiled a little for later books, but do I care? I honestly don't know.

But it's been a weird as fuck week, and also currently in the middle of WoR so anything else just isn't Sanderson, and also it's just been a weird as fuck year, to be honest. But, yeah, this week - I think I was casually diagnosed with scoliosis? But the chiropractor thinks he can fix it? But... scoliosis? it's been a weird few days, I need to see an actual doctor, I think? (I'm so confused, about life and books and really just everything).

Anyway, we'll figure it out eventually. I hope you had a good months in general and reading wise, we live in a post election world now which doesn't feel good but there's things we can still do to fight back. (Yeah, I'm bringing politics in at the last minute). And my back doesn't hurt that much at the moment, so everything will be okay? I don't know anymore, 2016 is almost over, though. Hopefully the craziness doesn't carry to 2017. (Though...)