WRAP-UP | JULY 2017 | Shelf Pickings

How is it August already? It’s almost Christmas!

I did quite well in my July reading even with Anime Expo at the start of the month. I did especially well in the audio book department. I discovered that Hoopla has Japanese fiction on audio. I’ve come to realize that they are awesome to listen to and a lot of them are short reads – listens – at less than 6 hours. Most of them anyway. Plus, I lucked out with the narrators. Sure, they’re not perfect Japanese pronunciation when it comes to names but I still enjoyed it.

I finally did a Jane Eyre re-read after not doing it for 2-3 years. I acquired the Manga Classics by Udon Entertainment copy and oh boy, I loved it. I am looking at getting all the other Manga Classics versions. They’re so much easier to read than the dense original text. I also finished a very hyped and beloved YA series and once again, was kind of let down by it. This month’s reading had been filled with most anticipated reads, recommendations, and audio books. Let’s see how I did!

TOTAL BOOKS READ: 11. I hit a total of 80 reads this past month.

Sound! Euphonium, Volume 1 by Ayano Takeda. This is the light novel source material of one of my favorite anime shows. This is a story told through Kumiko’s eyes; she is a euphonium player for the Kitauji High School band. She goes through normal high school stuff on top of band club drama. While I definitely prefer the anime (it has actual music and playing of music), I really enjoyed this one as well. My Shuichi x Kumiko heart, especially. But I’m only giving this 4/5 stars because to me, there was a bit (a lot) of queer baiting. Now, it could just be a form of fan service but this was written before the anime was aired.
Amazonia by James Rollins. As with every James Rollins book, I listened to this on audio. I did enjoy this. It had a slow start but it built up quite nicely. Of course, make sure your suspension of disbelief is quite strong. As much as Rollins’ books are filled with adventure, they’re not the most believable. 4/5 stars.
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa. I listened to this. I also own this book. But when I saw this on Hoopla, under 5 hours, I thought it’s going to be a quick read. It was but it was so good. It reminded me of Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. A housekeeper is hired to help out at an elderly professor’s house. After a while, the professor invites the housekeeper’s son with them. They then develop a sort of familial relationship that makes such a differences in all of their lives. The narration by Cassandra Campbell is A+! 5/5 stars, favorite.
The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski. Book 2 in the trilogy. There were so many things going on but none of it was truly exciting. Then it just ended. Yes, it was full of political intrigue. Think of a chess game but with a lot of misunderstanding. Really, things would’ve ended much faster and cleaner if they only just talked. But then again, we have a 3rd book. 3.5/5 stars. At this point, I almost slumped… I wasn’t enjoying this.
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire. I was good. But it wasn’t life changing as everyone says. I actually didn’t get it much. It was a magical realism mystery novella with an asexual main character. Okay. 4/5 stars.
Girls und Panzer, Volume 2. I’ve since completed the Nendoroid Petit Collection 1, thanks to Anime Expo. I… didn’t enjoy this volume. They pretty much left out the whole Saunders match. It was merely mentioned but the anime has 1.5 episodes about that. I understand the choice but I would’ve liked to see more of the match on the page. 3/5 stars.
When It’s Real by Erin Watt. Holy crap. Holy crap, I loved this. Oh man, this was an awesome audio book read by two narrators, Caitlin Kelly and Teddy Hamilton. This toed the line between YA and NA but there’s no explicit sex scene yet it still managed to be so hot. It touched all my feelz and then some. 5/5 stars, favorite!
Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino. Another audio book with A+ narration by David Pittu. I enjoy his mystery novels so much and they are perfect to listen on audio. This is about a husband murdered when his soon-to-be ex-wife is on vacation. Yes, it was predictable in a way that you know who did it. The question is “how.” Amazing. 5/5 stars.
Last Winter We Parted by Fuminori Nakamura. Based on the blurb, I should love this. This is about a journalist interviewing a man on death row after being convicted of killing 2 women by burning them to death. Then it unravels a very complicated web of accomplices, secrets, and deceit. But I had a problem with the narration. The names were badly pronounced, there wasn’t much difference between character voices. I got lost so many times. So I don’t think it’s the novel’s fault. I do own this so I may just have to read it again. 2.5/5 stars.
Manga Classics: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, illustrated by SunNeko Lee. You don’t know “cute” until you’ve seen Jane and Rochester in chibi form. I will give this book nothing but a perfect score. 5/5 stars.
The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski. I’m filing this under the same umbrella as The Grisha trilogy – hyped series that ended up disappointing me. I wanted to read this book when I heard that this featured a pianist main character and music. Well, so much for that. I did enjoy this too but there was just too much traveling and talking and not much else. I still like Arin. Kestrel’s okay too. Over all, this series is a 3.5/5, just like this book.

STATS:

3417 pages
2 manga and 5 audio books

Fifteen books. Geez. How did that happen? I know… Sales and signed books. My weaknesses.

Arena by Holly Jennings. Blogging for Books. I actually started this already around the time EVO was on Twitch. But I wasn’t feeling it yet. Soon. I kinda have to read this.
S. by JJ Abrams. Barnes & Noble. I’ve always wanted this book. I don’t know if and when I’ll be reading this but I’m glad I have it.
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire. Barnes & Noble. Signed. Signed. While I am a bigger fan of her works as Mira Grant, this is still signed by the same person.
Checkmate: This is War by Kennedy Fox. Kindle Free. It sounded like an interested NA read. And it’s free!
The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson. Book Outlet. I have all three in hardcover. I bought The Heart of Betrayal through the $5 off flash promo that Book Outlet had. It was basically free. And I’m currently reading The Kiss of Deception… hoping to make a dent on it by the time Tome Topple starts.
The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman. Book Outlet. When I first got it, the copy that arrived was severely damaged. And I didn’t get a Scratch and Dent. So I wrote them and they immediately sent a better copy of it.
Two copies of The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. Book Outlet. How many copies does one need? Well, all the pretty ones. One copy is the illustrated edition by Jemima Catlin and the other is the special collector’s edition cloth-bound movie tie-in hardback.
The Magician King by Lev Grossman. Book Outlet. I have the first book and I’m determined to read this series.
Now I Rise by Kiersten White. Target. Signed. My copy of And I Darken is also signed. I haven’t read it yet.
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor. Thrift shop. I already have a paperback copy but this is hardcover for $2. My copy of the first book is in hardcover so I bought this to match. Now to find a hardcover of the 3rd book.
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau. Goodwill. I’ve heard so many things about this book. This is a library copy and kind of tattered but still readable.
The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee. Goodwill. I haven’t heard the best about this book but for a First Edition hard cover, relatively recent release, in pristine condition for $2? Yes, please.