If the days haven’t started running together for you, I’m jealous. I can’t believe that it’s been such a long time since I’ve posted anything to this blog. I’ve certainly been reading slower than usual these last couple of months, but that’s no excuse to completely ignore things the way I have. Here’s my promise to you to get the reviews of the books I have read out sometime in the near future. I’ll find the motivation to actually sit down and write them instead of letting the words swim in my head.
As a thank you for coming back after such an extended absence, here are some pictures of my pup, Yzma. She had a great weekend at the cottage and discovered a love for water she’d never previously showed any signs of having. (Shameless plug for her adorable PupStagram account @YzmaTheHound):
Without further ado, here’s my reading stats for this month:
For reference: Physical books, eBooks, and AudioBooks. Library books.
Total books completed: 17
Total pages: 3805 pages (avg. 224 pages per book)
Completed Books:
- Wolf’s Curse by Kelley Armstrong (Otherworld: Kate and Logan, Book 2)[5 stars]
- Sea Glass by Maria V Snyder (Glass, Book 2; The Chronicles of Ixia, Book 5)[3.5 stars]
- Hope(less) by Melissa Haag (Judgement of the Six, Book 1)[4 stars]
- Clay’s Hope by Melissa Haag (Judgement of the Six Companion Series, Book 1)[4 stars]
- Nosatsu Junkie by Ry Ryoko Fukuyama (Charming Junkie, Vol 1 – 13)[Avg. 4 stars]
Dedicated Blog Posts:
None during the month of July, check out my June Wrap Up for my most recent reviews.
Wrap Up:
Wolf’s Curse:
Growing up as the twins of the werewolf Alpha, Kate and Logan expected the “supernatural teen leadership conference” they’d been forced into to be boring and political. Instead, they find themselves taking a crash course in real life leadership.
Check out the first book – Wolf’s Bane.
As a huge fan of all of Armstrong’s books, I absolutely adored this read. This book takes place in my favourite world she’s ever created, which made this an even more enjoyable read. If you’re interested in seeing the next generation in the Women of the Otherworld, Darkest Powers, and Darkness Rising series, this would be a great read for you.
Sea Glass:
Opal has weathered rough waters and twisting currents, yet instead of finding a tranquil eddy she’s caught in a riptide. As if the fight for controlling Opal’s glass messengers – and therefore controlling Opal – isn’t enough to deal with, it’s also up to Opal to prove that blood magic is still being used. When no one believes her, it’s up to Opal to decide what to believe in and how to prove the truth to the world.
Over the years I’ve certainly come to enjoy my time in Snyder’s worlds. That being said, there’s definitely certain structural patterns to her stories that she doesn’t stray from. Thankfully, her characters are strong enough to keep me coming back for more. Opal and the crew get up to a lot of hijinks in this story.
Hope(less):
Gabby’s brain works like a human fish finder – useful when she wants to avoid people, but not without its own challenges. Like her unnaturally strong pull to men. In her search for answers as to why she’s so special, Gabby discovers a hidden community of werewolves. She immerses herself in their culture and world, until she meets Clay. Unkempt and prone to mood swings, he thinks Gabby is his. It’s up to Gabby to use every trick in her book to convince Clay to go away – and every ounce of willpower to not fall in love with the man underneath the rough exterior.
Judgement has begun…
This was most certainly not my first time reading this story, and it won’t be my last. It might be because I have a thing for werewolves, and it might be because I have an extra soft spot for werewolves named Clay – I’m looking at you, Clayton Danvers, from the mind of the amazing Kelley Armstrong – but I find myself coming back to this story every so often. While the story as a whole isn’t my favourite, I adore Gabby and Clay’s part in it. While I plan to reread the entire series to make reviews on the individual books, I oftentimes find myself just rereading this book or Clay’s companion story.
It also doesn’t hurt that parts of this series take place in Canada and I’m a sucker for stories that take place close to home.
Clay’s Hope:
Clay is a man with few human talents, yet as a wolf he hunts well and can fight off a grizzly twice his size. The idea of a Mate is one he never seriously entertained since he knew the chances were nearly non-existent. Then he meets Gabby, a human girl. She hates him at first sight, but everything other than her has become unimportant. Winning her over has become the only thing that matters.
While it’s easy to read Hope(less) without reading Clay’s Hope, I enjoy seeing the differences in perspectives. Especially reading the books back to back when everything is so clear in your mind still. Misunderstandings and motivations become clear. You get scenes that you didn’t get to experience the first time around. What’s not to like?
Nosatsu Junkie:
This manga follows Naka, an aspiring young model whose face transforms into a terrifying spectacle whenever she gets nervous at photo shoots. Naka’s rival at her agency is Umi, the girl who can do no wrong. Shortly after joining the agency Naka discovers Umi’s secret, leading to more than either bargained for.
Another reread, this is a series I remember reading back when I was in high school. It was just as fun and upbeat as I remembered. If you’re looking for a cute slice of life, Shojo manga, this could be a fun read for you. A bonus is that it’s been completed for years so you won’t need to wait for anything to be released.
I’ve decided to give up on writing monthly TBRs – at least for the next little while. Recently I haven’t been sticking to them at all, instead picking up whatever book strikes my fancy while I’m looking at them. Since my books also aren’t all in one place at the moment, it’s daunting to try and remember where I left which book when it comes time to continuing on with my designated TBR. So, no more monthly TBRs for the foreseeable future.
That being said, I managed to read more in the month of July than I’d previously realized. I thought I didn’t read much of anything all month, but turns out I was slowly chipping away at books. I find that it’s one of the great parts of being able to read multiple books at the same time.
As always, I’d love to know how your reading went this month. Did you have a good time reading, or did you struggle with some of what you picked up like I did?
Finally, the question of the month: What’s one book/series that just didn’t reach your expectations?
Phantom of the Library 
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