Currently Reading: 13 February to 27 February 2022

 Currently Reading

- Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski (38%)

- The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart (28%) 

- A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (29%)

- Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (62%)

- Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee (06%)

- The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso (36%) 

* * *

Yearly Book Goal

5/100

-

Yearly Page Goal

2595/25,000

* * *

I finally managed to get my hands on the last three volume of the Witcher series. It's hit and miss with a lot of people, but I'm glad I've got it so that way I can finish it and know what happens. This also is spurring me to complete it and decide whether or not I like it. I know it is bordering problematic because of the way it describes/treats women and young girls. I am giving it a bit of the benefit of the doubt because I understand that while Mr. Sapkowski may not have those views, it is entirely possible that the characters do. As an avid TTRPG player (mostly D&D, Pathfinder, and Starfinder) I understand that your belief systems and your characters' are often not the same. 

I went to the library and checked out a book for the first time since moving here. I found a copy of Alix E. Harrow's The Once and Future Witches, which is one a coworker of mine has talked about in the past and suggested I pick up. So far I've read nearly the whole book. I borrowed it on Tuesday, February 22. I'm already mostly done with it and that's saying a lot for how much time I actually spend reading. 

I suppose that's really all that happened that was actually exciting in February. 

Currently Reading: 23 January to 12 February 2022

 Currently Reading

- Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski (10%)

- The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart (28%) 

- A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (12%)

- Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee (06%)

- The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso (36%) 

* * *

Yearly Book Goal

5/100

-

Yearly Page Goal

2068/25,000

* * *

Let's goooooooo~ 

So these last two weeks have been okay? Decent? I don't know. I only read 2 books from my TBR in January. One from the Physical list and one from the Bonus list and both by the same author. Sometimes I wonder at myself. This month we're doing better. It's February 5th and I am already at 2 books completed with good prospects for a few more. I think if I dedicate the afternoon (when I'm finished with the post) to one of the books, I may even be able to finish it today. I have about....I think ~260 pages left and no where to be all afternoon. 

Yes, I know there is an extra book or two there that really shouldn't exist on this month's TBR, but they have a purpose. One is toward the Orilium goals. I need to get 6 books completed for April 1. I have the whole of them already set up. So that should be fun. The other one is a buddy read with a friend of mine that doesn't read standard books often, but happened to pick up one that I also had a copy of that I meant to read. I'm excited to actually get to read it with her!

Yeah yeah I know. I failed to post when I was supposed to. So this one is short and sweet! See you all next weekend~

January 2022 Wrap Up

In January I've read 2 books:

1. Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski - This was good, if not a little haphazardly written. Sometimes I lost where I was in the timeline, but it didn't seem to make a difference since the story flowed well all the same. I have to say though that I found Dandelion to be lacking. I loved his character in the television show and wished he would have made a stronger appearance. That said, I loved how he proved himself to be capable despite being not of a more fighter-like cast. The characters proved themselves to be more than what classic sword & sorcery classes would make them out to be. Yennefer can run and jump and fight as well as anyone else, Dandelion can scale buildings, Ciri can do pretty much whatever she wants...I'm looking forward to reading the next installment and seeing if the rest of the Witchers of Kaer Morhen are brought back and what happens with the Lion Cub of Cintra. 

2. The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski - The second book in the series, I rather enjoyed it. We pick up nearly right from where the first book leaves off. It is worth the read. Especially for fans of the games and television series. Though, it isn't quite all in the same order. 

February 2022 To-Be-Read

Clearly I failed miserably at my TBR goal for January. I finished 2 books, and only 1 of those two books was even on my TBR. So in keeping with tradition, we are going to just copy over the books from the previous month to this month and keep it rolling!

Physical

1. Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward - As I've made it exactly 57% of the way through before the end of the month...I figured I would just toss it onto the To Be Read pile for this month. 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. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski - I finished the other books so far in this series and I am looking very forward to this one. I think it's going to get really tense in here? At least that's what I gather from the synopsis. 

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!!

January 2022 Book Haul

I am going to try [again] to separate these posts. So that way I can more easily track them. With that said, don't be surprised if I forget things. It has been known to happen. With no further adieu, let us get into it~ 

I've acquired 2 books through various means in January: 

1. Jade Fire Gold by June CL Tan - I saw this in a BookTube video, and when I heard the synopsis, I just had to have it. When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her lethal magical abilities. But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined. It also just makes me laugh finding a second book by an Asian author where the main male character is named Altan (see: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang). I picked up this one on audio and hope to either start it in January or use it as February's audiobook. 

2. Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim - I am already familiar with, though have never read, this novel's source inspiration, the Six Swans by the Brothers Grimm. We follow Shiori'anma as she has to break the curse placed upon her brothers all while not uttering a single word. It combines elements of The Wild Swans, Cinderella, the legend of Chang E, and the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, which means I am likely to enjoy this as I love fairy tales and folk legends. I'm looking forward to listening to this one as well!

3. The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis - January's Book of the Month pick. This one had strong vibes making me think of another BotM pick from 2021, The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. We follow two timelines that both involve the infamous murder of someone in the Frick family. I thought the cover was pretty and as I am wanting to branch out a little from my obsession with sword and sorceries, this seemed like a good option.

4. The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski - I finished Blood of Elves and absolutely could not contain myself until I got the second (and third) volumes in the series. I was excited to see it right out in the front of the store. This one just continues the story from where the first left off, so there isn't much I can really say about it. 

5. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski - The third book in the popular Witcher series. I can't really say much other than it picks up where volume two leaves off, sort of. I grabbed it while I saw it and had the money. I'm enjoying my read of the series so far and am looking forward to making it to this one. 

6. Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer - I have never read a Brigid Kemmerer book. I'm pretty sure this is the only one I even own. However, when I saw the synopsis (and maybe the cover), I just had to have it. It looks intriguing and reminds me of the newer Tangled movie where everyone was after this specific flower. 

7. Kharis by Sarah Kate Istra Winter - This one I have literally no idea about. It was a Yule gift from a friend of mine. She and I are both Hellenic pagans, she more practicing than I, but I adore the fact that she thought of me and got me this book for Yule. I'd been meaning to ask her if I could borrow her copy and it's like she read my mind. I'm looking forward to reading this and learning more about the faith. 

8. The Library Book by Susan Orlean - I heard about this book a few years ago on BookTube and it looked interesting. I had to snap it up when I saw it at Ollie's for only $3.99. Who wouldn't snatch it? It's a nonfiction about libraries and the library fire in the LA Public Library and the aftermath of it. I'm looking forward to this one, too. 

9. Ascension of Larks by Rachel Linden - The synopsis looked interesting. A woman is in love with a man who is married to her best friend. When the man dies, she goes to comfort the grieving widow. Some not good things happen that bring family secrets to light that should have stayed in the dark. That's literally all I know, and I'm curious to know what happens next. 

10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Again, I heard about this book on BookTube and thought it sounded intriguing. I've read the source material, Jane Eyre, in the past, and I believe that book is mentioned in this one, but I'm not sure. In either event it looked amusing and I wanted to know what the hype was all about back in 2016-2017.

11. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald - It is about books and readers and was cheap. What can I say? It's about a young foreign woman who opens a bookshop with the remains of her late friend's personal library. It's a contemporary book that just speaks to me. 

12. Reverie by Ryan La Sala - I saw it and it was something from another BookTube video that sparked a memory. I thought it seemed interesting and is one of those parallel worlds books. Since it was fairly cheap, I grabbed it. I know next to nothing about it, only what the synopsis says and that alone had me curious enough to nearly start reading right there in the store.