January 2021 To-Be-Read

We are going to try. Hopefully this goes well! The general idea is to post 6 books each month, just like last year > 3 physical, 2 digital, and 1 audio. Those will be the books that I must finish that month (or at least try to anyway). Any books I don't finish from the month will just be put on the next month's TBR to be finished. 

Bonus books are always allowed. If I say, finish all my physical tbr books and start another one, that's fine. It will just become the hold-over book if I don't finish it in the month! With that in mind, let's go~

Physical

1. Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward - I started this back in December of 2021, and as I've made it exactly 31% of the way through before the end of the month...I figured I would just toss it onto the To Be Read pile for next year. It is pretty good so far in what I've read. Far more complicated than I had originally thought. This is Mr. Ward's debut fantasy novel and boy did he come out swinging. I look very forward to finishing it. Really I shouldn't be surprised. It's an Orbit book and I adore Orbit publications. 

2. The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart - My other holdover from December. Also, ironically, another Orbit. This one is also an epic fantasy. First book in the Drowning Empire series. It is pretty good. I'm just about a quarter of the way in now and I am enjoying what I read so far. I'm wondering if we will get an explanation for the bone shard magic? Like how it came to exist in the first place and what the intended purpose of it was. Also why it needs to come from the source it does. So many questions that I hope to get answered!

3. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan - I think I started this once, a long time ago. I had originally borrowed it from my library. I can't remember a thing about it though and thought I'd give it another go. I got my own copy from the local bookstore...early 2021? Late 2020? I don't remember. All I know for sure is that I have had it for about a year now and still haven't read it. So, it's going up on my TBR for January~ 

Digital

4. Critical Failures by Robert Bevan - Another book I've had for quite some time. I believe I picked this one up from FreeBooksy, an online service that sends like a mini catalogue of free or discounted books from various sites. This one was one of their LGBT+ selections (this one is M/M, I do have an F/F one called, ironically Critical Hit). I am interested in this to see how they go about it as they poke fun at a game I have been playing for years. The central theme is love over Caverns & Creatures (a play on Dungeons & Dragons, surely). It looks quite amusing. 

5. Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee - No clue. I just saw the cover, thought it was pretty and wanted to read it. I haven't any idea what it's about other than what I think is a fantastical Asian-themed nation? There was a picture of what looks like a giant mech dragon on the cover. I've got another book by Yoon Ha Lee. I think the main character in this is nonbinary? I don't recall. But I do know they use they/them pronouns, so it is likely they are either nonbinary or genderfluid. I will definitely let you know when I know~

Audio

6. The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso - It just takes me a while to actually get through audiobooks. I don't walk to and from work any more, so I don't get that 30-45 minutes of solitude. Nor do I really have the time to just go for a walk around the block or anything. I mostly listen while I'm on the way down to like my family's house or doing housework. I started this audiobook in December and it's amazing (and another Orbit book). I want to start listening more and finish it!!