1) I legit thought this series was over, so when volume 6 randomly popped up while I was browsing I was EXCITED. Unfortunately, 2) this is probably the most disjointed volume in the series, with very little … story. Or anything. I love Mio and Shun and their antics and over the top reactions, but the majority of the time, I didn‘t know what was happening. Apparently there will be a volume 7. I hope it‘s better.

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Caught up to where I‘ve purchased, and have passed the anime. Up to and including Shibuya, was a ride, but I‘m finding the Culling Game off to a rocky start. The new characters are subpar (intrigued by one) and the setup just seems hokey. So far we have a Shibuya with convoluted rules… so a Hunger Games. I‘m sticking with it because the lead up was amazing, and the story is still moving forward. But these two volumes were def a drop in quality.

I‘m certainly enjoying reading this now. Having watched the anime it‘s interesting to see the different style of Akutami.

I think about halfway through the first book I was Team Rhys. With this book, I‘m fully cemented on his side. The backstories are really filled out here and the political intrigue keeps the story moving along at a nice pace. This is slow burn but when the 🌶️🌶️ kicks in, it is worth the wait.

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I‘m caught up on the anime, the spoilers on any platform are insane for this series, so I‘m just going to catch up by the time Volume 22 comes out April 22. Not sure I‘m ready for the emotional damage.

Time to start this one! So excited!

When a friend found out I LOVE Fangirl (as you can see) she recommended E&P, which is such a ‘tug on your heart strings‘ story, that if you were the Grinch, your heart would be guaranteed to grow 3 sizes. It is wholesome, relatable, and so real. And that‘s why I love Rowell. She can write the sweetest of stories that we can all experience. I don‘t usually go for a dose of reality but when it‘s done right, it‘s beautiful.

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It took around 10 months, reading about 59 volumes to complete the entire universe of AOT (not including Junior High). I will always recommend reading this series, including Lost Girls and No Regrets, because it will continue to be my top manga. To me, Isayama is the GOAT, and AOT is such a multi-faceted story with such strong characters. I cannot recommend this series enough.

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Bit of a manga haul. Mostly new releases but I‘m also excited to start Cherry Magic! I randomly started the anime on Crunchyroll and it is ADORABLE!

Buddy reads seem to keep me reading lately, which I‘m happy about. This series might be what breaks my slump. Good pacing, amazing world, and Feyre is a kick-a** MC. It‘s fantasy enough to keep genre fans happy, but not so high-fantasy to intimidate new readers.

And all that being said. I think I‘m already Team Rhys. Tamlin had his alpha persona crushed too badly in this.

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Hades and Persephone are my fave Greek gods tale. I will devour any retelling, and this one was no different. The world is a tad weird. Separate from the real world but not because they still mention pop culture and different cities, the ‘gods‘ are more like royal titles here. Pretty 🌶️🌶️ and Hades is delightfully dirty as any god of the underworld should be.

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What other H&P retellings are there? I have Lore already, but I need more!

I say that I have a hero I‘ve never met, and he knew nothing of me but cared enough to save me, and millions of others. The research was controversial but it‘s a story that people should know, because Banting acknowledged the dogs and their contribution to the research. Without them it wouldn‘t have happened. A huge part of Canadian history.

Side note: I lived and worked just down the road from his house in London for 10 years.

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I‘d give this story ⭐️⭐️.5. This happens during volume 1 and part of volume 2 of the OG but it‘s hard to believe that the events that take place here would go unnoticed. During the fall of Wall Maria, Rita gets ‘promoted‘ to acting Commander in Quinta, and goes entirely Draconian in her approach. I‘d say if you‘re reading AOT, stick with the original volumes, No Regrets and Lost Girls. There are too many liberties taken in these offshoots IMO.

I have zero self-control. I got 12 books for Christmas, and have barely unpacked my books in my move… but they were on sale… 🤷‍♀️

Well with the tagged book, we‘re locking in these numbers. Maybe 2024 NYE will be spent reading with drinks and popcorn, but alas, not 2023. Still a good year!

Here‘s to 2024 reading goals!

I‘ve seen authors destroy their careers over social media; we‘ve seen the recent publishing scandals in 2023. The publishing world is a solitary world, but not entirely. Kuang does an amazing job of watching the train-wreck of an entirely unlikeable character, while cutting apart the ‘dream‘ that is becoming a published author. The book is no longer the sold item, it is the author.

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I‘ll definitely be picking up Babel next!

I‘m not sure how many times I‘ve read this series, but considering it‘s my top anime/manga, I‘ll keep picking it up. This is a continuation of my read-through of the entire universe. 34 volumes and 3 novels left. Can I finish them before the last ep comes out in dub (Jan 6), and I can then start another watch through??

Challenge accepted.

It was a pretty good booksmas this year!

My friend (in my previous town) and I are buddy reading this over the Christmas break, because we miss each other‘s faces hardcore. I‘m also having a low (Type 1 Diabetes) so the bucket of chocolates and the Christmas music in the background is just setting the scene.

I‘ve loved this series so much. It was action-packed, tongue in cheek, and laugh out loud at moments. It was such a good balance. I‘ll probably read it again as waiting for volumes to be published was too much of a wait time in between reads. I‘m sad it‘s over, but it will continue to be a fave.

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Reading this thinking it was over made me mad. It‘s cut short, nothing is dealt with. It‘s like the author gave up. And then I thought, this cannot be the end. Looking it up, I read that the author wants to end this series in 15 volumes… but then I see that this volume was published in 2018. So it‘s probably over. It is for me, because I won‘t remember what‘s happened (what little that is) by the next volumes coming out. A kind ⭐️⭐️.

I‘m still not sure what I think about this series, but I have it all so I‘m dedicated. The last few volumes are pushing it to a 2.5/3 star rating. A twist has made things interesting (because they weren‘t moving otherwise) but there‘s still an uncomfortable age gap, child abuse, and an unexplained world. 🤷‍♀️ I feel like I‘m missing something, especially with all the rave reviews.

Oof this is a tough read. It‘s beyond worth it, but for the most part, I did the audiobook (which actually has an afterword my copy does not). This is probably one of the most detailed true crime novels, I‘ve ever read. Bugliosi, being involved as his role of prosecutor, is able to provide those nitty gritty details. Despite that, though reasons are provided for the Manson murders, it‘s hard to make sense of them.

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Buying this entire series, I had no idea what it was about. Having finished volume 1 & 2, I still have no idea what it is about. There‘s some supernatural essence going on with characters taking on roles of fighter and sacrifices; they have ‘other names‘ (hence Loveless); and there is an age-gap that you really need to be okay with (although the author says this is not a yaoi). Not the strongest of starts.

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Okay. This book was written in the early 80s so from today‘s lense, there are some PROBLEMS. It‘s almost cringeworthy. This wasn‘t one of my favourite of her earlier works, but it was quick and fluff. It‘s nothing more than that.

With this book, I officially own and have read all of Sandra Brown‘s collection. It was such a ride tracking all of these books down and seeing where and how her skill started and progressed.

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A momentous occasion as I pick up the last Sandra Brown book in her collection. It was quite an adventure thrifting for all of these books!

Around this time, I do my best to also clear up the books that I‘ve started but not finished in the year (because I usually have a few that got set aside). I‘m not sure how I‘ll do with that goal because I have two hefty reads (Hyperion and this one).

With my true crime, I tend to do both audio and tangible. Audio at least gets me started, but I‘ve been working on this one for 7 months. Let‘s see if I can get a chunk done at least.

And with this, all my started but unfinished series have been completed! Now I can start new ones in the New Year!

This book took a wild turn. It is both a horror novel, while being real at its foundation. It‘s about humanity, and our underlying values. Crouch often deals with good intentions going bad, and the human condition and it‘s need to survive. This earlier piece is more obvious in its attempts, but still enjoyable.

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Locking in that last spooky read for October! I love Crouch and how he plays with genetics, DNA, future technology and how good intentions can quickly turn evil. From this book I can see why it was made into a TV show, as it basically ends on a season finale cliff hanger. It‘s tense, it‘s interesting. Crouch is a go-to for a good ride.

I‘ll be picking up the last in the trilogy next!

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Oh boy, ever since Uzumaki, each subsequent Ito has just been falling flat for me. The short stories are cut short; some are beyond ridiculous (which is sometimes my main problem with horror); and the main boy, although not the same character, was drawn the exact same in each story. It just didn‘t jive, and I skimmed the last few stories.

It‘s fitting that it ended with a story about poop because IMO it‘s only worth 💩.

Since Halloween is a few short days away, it‘s time to pull out my daytime Halloween read! Daytime is important because Ito is nightmare inducing. 💀

Remember when I started this trilogy? Nope, because it was pre-Litsy, I‘m sure (maybe?) (2016). Finishing my last trilogy in my goal to clear all my ‘started‘ series that have been sitting on my TBR pile. I‘m late in my spooky reads but it‘s never too late right?!

Slow-burn, low spice. If that makes you not want to read it, that‘s fine. What I loved was the tongue-in-cheek antics of Frederick, a 300-year-old vampire trying to learn the ‘modern world‘ and ‘the Tik-Toks‘. It was cute, light-hearted and just a nice fun fluff read. I love a good vampire story and this one was a worthy contender.

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Starting my first Halloween read in the sunroom… with my creepy painting in the corner staring at me. 🤣

I‘ve really been loving this series, but this is THE VOLUME! The romance moves ahead; new, more in-depth drama is introduced; a CLIFFHANGER!!

Loved it.

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This was amazing! A book that reads like a true crime doc, I want to mark it as true crime, it felt so real! I think the only way I can convey how much I loved it, is to say that I was reacting like I was watching a true crime documentary: muttering as ‘twists‘ were revealed, tearing up as characters came across new evidence. It easily drew you in.

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I barely have the energy to read in between unpacking my books (still not done) and all the rest of my stuff, but I‘ve really been enjoying this one so far. Written like a true crime documentary in an epistolary format, I can‘t wait to see how this progresses! #currentlyreading

I will give any feminine rage novel a chance, but this one just didn‘t jive with me. The first half was engrossing, and then it became repetitive, eye rolling, and did a trope that I hate in these. The twists were not that great and the ending was obvious, almost so much so that I was wishing it wasn‘t going to happen.

A kind ⭐️⭐️

Just picked up my Junji Ito Halloween read this year. 😳😳

OMG ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Why did I not read this sooner! It was so cute, sweet, adorable, all the feels. And do I need another Levi obsession?! Apparently I did because he totally stole the show in my opinion ❤️. I‘m a fangirl and I obsess as well (if you haven‘t noticed me and AOT… and Levi), so this was also so relatable. Loved it completely.

I‘m biased on this one because of Levi. I‘m now into the area of AOT that I love. #reread #currentlyreading

Such a short story but a huge impact. Miller has a skill of conveying fear, disgust, power and growth in such a short span.

A powerful story.

Vacation read: 8

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If you‘ve ever seen a Miyazaki, than you will love Shuna‘s Journey. This is an older story so you can see the beginnings of the skill and style that makes him an amazing storyteller. And the ART! 😍

Gorgeous. Simple. Stunning.

Vacation read: 7

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Of course in an anthology there are going to be hits and misses, and this one definitely has that. Overall, though, it was quite enjoyable. The art at times was beautiful, and at other times, it felt like I was reading AOT Junior High all over again. It was serious, gruesome, sad, tongue-in-cheek and hilarious. A good addition for anyone looking for a bit more AOT (there is never enough).

Vacation read: 6

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Yeah I love Nakamura, and they can really do no wrong. Utsubora was creepy yet sad; it was film noire and femme fatale. It was strangely nostalgic. It is hard to explain but needs to be experienced. There are so many nuances that it will definitely need another read.

Vacation read: 5

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I‘m not usually a fan of light novels, but this one was pretty good. I even teared up a bit. In the Before the Fall manga, we get a glimpse of Angel and his companions, so this novel fills in the blanks. This is AOT before anything about the Titans are known, in fact their believed to be immortal. It‘s cool to see the beginning.

Vacation read: 4

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This is getting ⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me, but it definitely could‘ve been better. If you‘re looking for straight 🌶️🌶️🌶️ than this is perfect. If you‘re looking for a story, this is lacking. And with the setup of a girl being abducted into a BDSM sex ring, and an undercover cop trying to bring the whole thing down… you‘d think there would be more of a storyline.

Vacation read: 3

Candice Fox is another of my go-to authors. Fox does desperation and damaged to the max, and this novel is three-fold. A rookie cop fired on their first day, a blown undercover detective, and parents of a missing/murdered child. What follows are tense 24 hours, written to keep the reader on the edge of their seats.

Vacation read: 2

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*the next few pics will be similar as I vacation review bomb ya. 🤣😉

On the second last book with 3 days left. Doing well clearing the pile.

I always try to read stuff in order, but usually mess up somehow. So Before the Fall, let‘s go to the actual beginning, way before the fall and now read Angel‘s story 🤦‍♀️. There‘s some overlap so I‘m not too out of order.