Tag: book

Book Review: Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Title: Battle of the Labyrinth

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Camp Half-Blood Chronicles

Publish Date: June 3, 2014 (originally published May 6, 2008)

Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books

Format: Paperback

Goodreads Summary:

Percy Jackson isn’t expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears at his potential new school, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos’s army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth – a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.

Review: The plot thickens, battle lines are being drawn, and all the players are taking their sides.

Starting this book for the first time since I was a teenager was an experience. The series has managed to mature with the characters, which I believe is helped by the fact that each book represents a summer (barring the previous book, which was the only winter book of the five, and the midpoint). Percy is getting older, and it’s clear that a crush (mutual, though he doesn’t know it yet) is growing in Annabeth. 

The decisions that the heroes have to make are more serious then ever before, such as deciding to not kill Ethan in a battle to the death. Percy sees the dark side of being a demigod, and how his actions have massive consequences.

Though there are times I had to remind myself that these kids are just fifteen or so, the choices and mistakes they make are completely believable, but also tragic. They are, after all, tasked with an almost impossible quest for the fourth time in their young lives. But they survive it, though not without loss.

The decision to start wrapping up series spanning plot lines works well here, starting with Grover’s journey to find Pan. I was saddened to see such a scene be so short in comparison to the size of the quest, but I also understood it. And it was a warning to all that read the books, that we need to do more.

I’m actually hesitant to read the fifth book coming out of this one (which is the same feeling I was left with the last time I read through the series). I almost don’t want it to end, but I do because I have the entire rest of the saga to read through. I mean, I’m absolutely going to, but still. STRESS.

For being a book that leads into the finale, it doesn’t feel like a set up. Yes, there are plotlines left waiting to be wrapped up, but the main storyline is completed, and it holds up. I’m happy with this one.

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Goal 6/52

[Edit Update: This novel was originally read on March 28, 2022.]

Book Review: The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Title: The Titan’s Curse

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Camp Half-Blood Chronicles

Publish Date: June 3, 2014 (originally published May 1, 2007)

Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books

Format: Paperback

Goodreads Summary:

When Percy Jackson receives an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he’ll need his powerful demigod allies at his side; his trusty bronze sword, Riptide; and . . . a ride from his mom.

The demigods race to the rescue to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods, whose parentage is unknown. But that’s not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up a devious trap, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.

Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge yet—the chilling prophecy of the Titan’s curse.

Review: As Percy matures, so do his stories.

This installment doesn’t take place over the summer, but rather during winter break, only about six months after Sea of Monsters. Percy is now fourteen and starting to really understand this whole hero gig he’s involved in.

We also get to see just how dangerous the world really is, as the stakes rise higher with every passing quest. The Titans are getting more bold in their plans, and they cleverly use the half-bloods’ own fatal flaws against them.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this one is that we don’t really get all that much detail about two introduced characters, one of whom will go on to be a major character. [For context, I’m already midway through book 4, but this isn’t too much of a spoiler.] The reveal that something isn’t quite… right about Bianca and Nico di Angelo is carefully unfolded over the course of the novel, while leaving a lot for readers to discover in future installments.

While I did appreciate the introduction of Artemis’ Hunters, I kinda felt that they were just introduced to get Talia out of the way. We spent two novels hearing about her, and now she gets to take Annabeth’s spot as Percy’s right handed woman for this novel… only for the ending to happen. I totally understand why this decision was given, no spoilers obviously, but at the same time it felt like the author didn’t know what to do with two strong female characters. 

One thing that stands out to me is that Percy isn’t just a perfect character. He makes mistakes, he screws up, he talks back to Gods when he needs to… And I enjoy that. I also like that the Gods and Goddesses feel more fleshed out in this novel (at least a bit more, anyway), as Percy ends up having several different interactions with them.

All in all, it’s still a great book that is setting up for what seems to be a satisfying conclusion, though there is a part of me that felt like this novel did suffer a bit from fatigue halfway through. 

Rating: 4.5/5

Goodreads Goal 5/52

[Edit Update: This novel was originally read on March 27, 2022.]

Book Review: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Title: The Sea of Monsters

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Camp Half-Blood Chronicles

Publish Date: June 3, 2014 (originally published April 1, 2006)

Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books

Format: Paperback

Goodreads Summary:

The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan’s amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a “half blood” whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan’s series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment.

In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book’s drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.

Review: Percy just can’t catch a break, I swear.

In this edition of “why my summer vacation is more amazing compared to yours,” Percy learns that he’s related to cyclops’s, has a half-brother named Tyson, plays some part in a major prophecy that no one will tell him about, and he really needs to just go on a vacation. I hear the Bermuda Triangle is lovely this time of year.

The thing that makes this book fun is that it’s clear that Percy has learned from the events of the previous summer, but he’s still just barely a teenager. He still makes mistakes and he still has to deal with the consequences, but he’s also more aware of those mistakes. He’s also willing to work with people that he really really doesn’t want to, in this case Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares. They come to a begrudging respect by the end of the novel, but they are in no way friends (which is fine).

Annabeth joins Percy on his God given quest (thanks Hermes), and learns more about herself than she could have ever believed. She has the opportunity to hear the Siren’s Song, and make peace with a part of her past that caused a minor wedge between Percy and Tyson before his almost-death early in the novel.

One aspect of this novel that I enjoyed was that choices and decisions mattered. The simple act of poisoning Thalia’s tree almost destroys the entire camp. This causes Chiron to be fired (because Dionysus is still a jerk), and in his place comes Tantalus from the underworld. Percy goes after the Golden Fleece, which is successful, but using it to heal Thalia’s tree ends up freeing her from it, which means there are now two Half-Bloods that are related to the “Big Three”. It’s a dangerous prospect.

I was sad to see that both Luke and Grover were pretty underutilized in this. Luke is now a henchman for Kronos working to revive the Titan. He’s pretty much all talk, though there is one fight scene with Percy that shows he still has his skills. Grover, on the other hand, is completely reduced to being just a plot device, there to be saved. It sucks for him, but there’s nothing for him in this novel.

All in all, a satisfying continuation of the series, one that I haven’t read in almost fifteen years.

Rating: 55/5

Goodreads Goal 4/52

[Edit Update: This novel was originally read on March 18, 2022.]

Book Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Title: The Lightning Thief

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Camp Half-Blood Chronicles

Publish Date: June 3, 2014 (originally published June 28, 2005)

Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books

Format: Paperback

Goodreads Summary:

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena – Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Review: I’ve never been happier to reread a book from my teenage years.

The entire Percy Jackson series is so weird to me, because it came out right when I was aging out of reading Middle Grade, but it was so enticing that I wanted to keep reading it. And the first one has always been a favorite of mine for a variety of reasons. 

The Lightning Thief is a creative way to open the world of mythology to readers who may have never been exposed to it before. It’s a sanitized version of the tales, very much not getting into detail with some of the more… violent and ranchy stories. But, as an adult reader, it’s surprising just how much is implied, without being overt with the details. It’s done very well.

The three main heroes from this first tale are all dynamic and can stand on their own. Percy may be the main character, but he is far from perfect. He makes it out of situations by sheer dumb luck, or by coming up with plans on the fly. That’s not saying it’s a bad things, oh no. It makes sense. He’s twelve. He’s just finding out about the world, he literally watched his mom vanish before his eyes, he’s having a bad month. Annabeth has the skills and knowledge, but she’s been held back for years. By the time she meets Percy, she’s a bit jaded by life. But she comes to life on the pages. Grover’s past slowly comes to light in a sensible way, first with his drive to earn his Searcher’s License, and then his past with Annabeth, Luke, and Thalia. It serves to make his character stronger, though he does end up as the comedic relief in several scenes.

One of the things I really liked is that the story doesn’t take itself seriously. There are obvious logical leaps and choices that police/media would never make, but I’m okay with it. The fact that Ares feels so threatened by Percy is honestly hilarious, to the point they have a battle on a beach in California of all places. And something that made me smile is that while Percy does come out the hero at the end of the novel, he’s still pretty low on the Camp Half-Blood totem pole. He’s made some friends, but also massive enemies. It’s realistic.

Rereading this has brought all sorts of good memories back to my mind, and it makes it just that much more special. I cannot wait to continue on with the series.

(As a quick aside, I have watched the first movie, and though it is a total dumpster fire, I did enjoy Logan Lereman and Alexandra Daddario’s takes on the characters. And that’s about it on that subject.)

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Goal 3/52

[Edit Update: This novel was originally read on March 10, 2022.]

My 2022 Reading Challenge

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

So, I don’t always make the best guesses at stuff. I’ll be the first to admit that. And honestly, I really should stop making statements that start with “I bet…”

Anyway, for the past several weeks, some online friends and I have been making joking gambles on different things regarding 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star. Mostly they were regarding different things we would see in episodes, or marketing decisions. And I… I kept getting them wrong.

I won’t say what I did get wrong, but it happened three times in quick succession. And since I was so positive and sure about what I was betting on, the consequences would be large. And since we set our own “punishments”, it was something that I knew I could do, but wow was I embarrassed to admit it.

My challenge is to read every book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger, every book in the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles series by Rick Riorden, and every book in the Shadowhunter Chronicles series by Cassandra Clare.

At this point, just saying that makes me wince, because I know what’s coming. That’s a lot of books. And that’s not everything. Because I was a glutton of punishment, and I got called out on it, I basically have to read everything. Novels and short stories. So, more than I thought originally.

The Challenge:

The Camp Half Blood Chronicles series is comprised of fifteen main novels, five in each of the following series: Percy Jackson & the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, and The Trials of Apollo. There are also a series of short stories released in a few different books or collections (for a total of 17, if I did my math correctly). And because my friends are pretty evil, I also have to include the Kane Chronicles trilogy (as well as the three crossover short stories, already counted) and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy and short stories (9 total short stories).

If you’re keeping track, that’s 21 novels and 26 short stories. The only really good thing is that this series is already complete, so this number isn’t subject to change. I hope.

Then there’s the easiest series to count. The Keeper of the Lost Cities series currently has nine novels with one on the way and four short stories. The only trouble is that three of the four short stories are a part of exclusive releases of her books, so I may have to do a search over at Barnes and Noble when I get to it.

Count check: 30 novels, 30 short stories. What a nice, even number.

And finally, we have the Shadowhunter Chronicles. This is a lot. There are sixteen novels with another on the way, 30 short stories, a serialized novel (available online) and a novella. It’s technically longer than anything else I have to read, due to the fact that the books are all at least 450 pages long, with a few coming in at about 600. It’s a lot. Also, the online novel is still updating through August.

Total count: 46 novels, 60 short stories, 1 novella, and 1 online novel.

The Timeline:

Technically, all three have their own rend requirements. For the Camp Half Blood Chronicles, I have until the end of 2022. For the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, the next book, Stellarlune, is due to release on November 8, 2022, which means I must be done with the series by then. For the Shadowhunter Chronicles, the final book of “The Last Hours” trilogy, Chain of Thorns, is scheduled to be released on November 1, 2022. I must be caught up by this point.

The Plan:

I’m doing this in stages. So I’m a bit of a mood reader, at least that’s how I’ve grown to be in the last several years. It’s hard to get myself to read something that I’m just not in the mood for. So my plan is actually to see where my mood takes me. Right now, I’m knee deep into the Percy Jackson series, with the goal to be done with the first five books by the end of March (because I have a few other things going on). From there, I really want to get started with the first “Mortal Instruments” trilogy.

Is this sustainable? Jury’s out. I’m not going to push myself to read something that I’m just not into right now. The thing is, all of the books are fantasy. There are times that I will want to read something that is more contemporary. I’m totally willing to take a few days to read something else, like American Royalty  by Katherine McGee or Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I. Mason, two books firmly on my to-read list.

Also, I know for a fact that my time will be cut short as soon as my job search comes to an end (I have like 50 applications out right now, and no that’s not a joke). 

How I Am Reading Everything:

I actually own a vast majority of the books I need to read, barring some of the short stories. I have all but one of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, most of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, and about half of the Camp Half Blood Chronicles. Most of the books are available at my local library, or I can access them through the library’s ebook catalogs (cloudLibrary and Hoopla).

I don’t have a firm preference on how I will read everything, as I’m fine with both physical and ebook media.

How Far Am I Already?

Well… Behind. So, I got nailed with this around February 21st, after my last guess was proven wrong. And I even announced it on Tiktok around the same time. And as of the writing of this post, I’ve read one and a half books. To be fair, I did start to read City of Bones, but my old copy literally tried to fall apart in my hand, and my library no longer has the ebook, so…

I will be reviewing each book as I go (though the review for the first book won’t go up until Thursday or Saturday, since I’m still playing catchup with everything I was behind posting). Once I am caught up, unless there is something else pressing to be posted, I will have the review up by the next day at noon.

I am also planning on keeping track by making a shelf on GoodReads, though that will be after I’ve read a good amount of books. I’m also tempted to keep a running list of what I have read and what’s coming on this blog as a separate page, but that isn’t set in stone yet. So, no promises on that.

So, that’s my reading life for 2022. And you know the hilarious thing? If I read everything? I should just make my 2022 reading goal of 52 books. I think that’s kinda funny.

Until next time!

Book Review: As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Title: As Good as Dead

Author: Holly Jackson

Series: A Good Girls Guide to Murder

Publish Date: August 5, 2021

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Format: Hardcover

Goodreads Summary:

The highly-anticipated finale to the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, the instant bestsellers that read like your favorite true crime podcast or show. By the end of this mystery series, you’ll never think of good girls the same way again…

Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle . . .and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears. . .

Review: I feel so conflicted.

On one hand, we have a great story about a character that has gone through a lot in a short amount of time, who isn’t sleeping, who feels pushed to the edge, just waiting for the thing to push her over. On the other hand, we have the back half of the book, which I really feel completely ruins her character.

I was so excited for the finale, and I walked away just kinda wishing that we didn’t get this final book. The Pip at the end, the one who sets up everything in the back half of the book, is not the same Pip that I really enjoyed. I know she had changed because of everything that had happened to her, but her choices were so backwards compared to ones she had made in previous books.

If I consider the series together, the first book is the strongest, with the second book coming in close, and this one in a distant third. And it’s a shame. I am glad I read the series, though. On the whole, it’s still pretty good.

Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads Goal 2/52

[Edit Update: This novel was originally read on February 23, 2022.]

Book Review: Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Title: Where the Drowned Girls Go
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: Wayward Children
Publish Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: Tordotcom
Format: ebook

Goodreads Summary:

Welcome to the Whitethorn Institute. The first step is always admitting you need help, and you’ve already taken that step by requesting a transfer into our company.

There is another school for children who fall through doors and fall back out again.
It isn’t as friendly as Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.
And it isn’t as safe.

When Eleanor West decided to open her school, her sanctuary, her Home for Wayward Children, she knew from the beginning that there would be children she couldn’t save; when Cora decides she needs a different direction, a different fate, a different prophecy, Miss West reluctantly agrees to transfer her to the other school, where things are run very differently by Whitethorn, the Headmaster.

She will soon discover that not all doors are welcoming…

Review: Once again, Seanan McGuire has hooked me back into this world.

I went into this knowing that this was book seven. I was curious to see how the author would hook in Regan from Across the Green Grass Fields, considering that the story didn’t seem to tie into the original five novellas. And wow, did she succeed in a way I wasn’t expecting.

Whitethorn is almost the exact opposite of the Home for Wayward Children. Instead of being taught to really accept the fact they have gone on fantastical (or horrifying) adventures, the students at Whitethorn are basically being forced to forget exactly who they are and what they’ve seen and done. It’s a truly horrifying thought, but at the same time, it makes sense that some children (or rather their parents) would want to be “normal” again.

Cora, who previously appeared in “Beneath the Sugar Sky” and “Come Tumbling Down,” wants nothing more than to slam her door shut and be normal again. She makes the choice to transfer to Whitethorn, and straight into the mysteries that lie there. There’s not much more I can say about the plot without giving away massive spoilers.

While I did like “Across the Green Grass Fields” from last year, this one felt more true to form for the series. I’m happy to be back with characters I already knew, but I’m also glad that Regan got to appear again.

There’s actually a lot of set up for the next few novellas, so I’m very excited to see what next year’s installment, “Lost in the Moment and Found,” will bring.

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Goal 1/52

[Edit Update: This novella was originally read on January 7, 2022.]

I’m Doing a Book UnHaul – Blogtober 2021

~ Liz Harrison ~ 1 Comment

So, I’m doing something that I don’t really like to do all that often. It’s something that actually bothers me a little bit, but I’m doing it for a good reason.

I’m doing a book unhaul.

For those of you that don’t spend too much time on Booktube, an unhaul is when you remove books from your collection. It’s called a haul, because it is the opposite of a book haul, where you get new books.

I don’t normally do book unhauls, because I like having my shelves filled with books, both read and unread. Unfortunately, I’m at the point that I really don’t have a choice anymore. I’ve double parked my books on my shelves, and I’m absolutely sick of seeing some of them. A good portion of them were gifts or panic bought at the beginning of the pandemic last year. The last major pile are book box books.

So, what are my criteria for keeping or unhauling books? Let’s discuss.

(Just a quick note, I’m going to try to avoid naming and shaming some books, because I don’t want to be that person. I will name some that I’ve made comments about in the past, both good and bad. So don’t expect to see a massive list of books here, this is just my thought process.)

Automatic Keep

These are the books that I doubt I’ll ever remove from my collect, at least any time soon. I don’t count a lot of books on that list, but there are enough to make a bullet point all on their own.

Some of the books on this list are my Owlcrate and BNYA Book Club books, regardless of my feelings for the books (which means, yes, I still have Wilder Girls, which I absolutely hated. I have at this point amassed most of both of the ever growing collections, but I want to be able to say that I have just about all of them (not counting the first twelve Owlcrate books, as I didn’t join until box 13).

I also include certain books from my childhood, including my set of Harry Potter novels (my paperback copies from college). Though the books are now surrounded by controversary (thanks JKR), they are staying because the books themselves hold a special place in my heart. I’m also keeping my entire Percy Jackson collection, because I’m reading it alongside my cousin.

The final set of books being kept are books that I absolutely enjoy, regardless of rating or popularity. I have several books (including two copies of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson) that I refuse to be parted with. They will be staying regardless.

Kept For Reading

There are another good amount of books that I’m keeping simply because they are on my TBR, or to be read list. I’d say that there are about twenty on that list, including six books from the same series. These are books that I’m actively planning on reading at some point soon, though I haven’t yet do to time or because of other reasons. I’m trying to keep this list pretty low, but there are some that will be staying around only until after I’ve read them.

This category also includes books that are sequels to books from Owlcrate or BNYA Book Club. Several of these books now have sequels, and for the most part I’m reading all of these in the next year or so.

Kept For the End of the Year

Something that I like to do is take a photo of all the physical media that I read over the year. This means that I’m keeping several books until December/January for one purpose. They are staying on my shelves simply because I don’t have any other place for them, but they will be leaving once I’m finished with that.

If you’re curious about which books these might be, my Goodreads is mostly up to date. If a book was rated low and wasn’t part of a club/box, it’s probably on this list.

Automatically Leaving

Books by problematic authors. This is number one on my list. Several books in my collection, both read or unread, are written by authors that are now under scrutiny for publicly being problematic. As such, I’m removing several novels from my library that I can no longer stand to have in my collection.

There is also a series I’m removing this time around, as I’ve fallen out of love with it due to time. This series is quite large, and I’ve read most of the books, but I have completely lost interest in it. I’d rather pass on everything to others that might enjoy it more than I would now.

Leaving Because of TBR

Like I said at the top, I managed to buy a large amount of cheap books early on in the pandemic. And then, of course, I got hit with a massive reading slump. Most of these books are living on my book cart going completely unread at this point. I need the space, honestly. And for most of them, I’m just not going to read them. They either don’t really interest me after reading their summaries, or I’ve tried and put them down.

This part of the list also includes books that came recommended to be my way of YouTube or Tiktok. There were a bunch I picked up that ended up not being something I didn’t want to read.

Leaving Due to Lack of Interest / Fandom

So, here is where I’m actually going to name and shame, a little bit. I ended up purchasing several books that I ended up not liking. Most of these never ended up on my GoodReads for various reasons, mostly because I put them down within ten to fifteen chapters or in under 100 pages.

One of these series is the Shadow and Bone series (as well as the Six of Crows duology). I realized quickly that these were not for me, and I also wasn’t really impressed with the Netflix show, so I see no need to keep them.

The other is The Raven Cycle series. I was recommended this one early on by exactly one person on Tumblr. I gave it a try and was just not interested. So, passing them on to people who will like them more.

There are also a few other books that I was encourage to read, but those are also joining the goodbye pile.

So… Where Are They Going?

By the time I finish packing up the books going, it’s probably going to be at least two boxes (hopefully three). They are going to be donated to my local library. We (as Mom is paring down her collection as well) chose to donate to the library instead of selling them for a couple of reasons.

The books we’re donating are in really good condition, and stand a good chance of being added to the library’s collection. What can’t be added actually gets added to the library’s own used book store, which raises money for local charities and to give back to the library. Last year, all proceeds from the library book store in October and early November actually went to buying Thanksgiving dinner to nearly 100 needy families, and from November 15th through December 22nd helped by Holiday presents for those same struggling families. (They were called holiday presents to keep to being non-religious, as my suburb is very diverse in faith.)

The reason we chose not to sell them is because trying to sell books online is an incredibly annoying task that I’ve done before, and I swore to never do it again. This way, these books, which tell amazing stories that should be told, will go into the hands of people who will enjoy them.

I’d love to donate to one of our local schools. Unfortunately, they are not accepting donations at this time, due to COVID restrictions. I tried to personally reach out (using the Nextdoor app) but got no takers.

The only other place we thought of was to add books to some of the local Little Free Libraries. I went to a couple of them, and unfortunately, they were already overflowing with mostly romance novels, and novels by Stephen King and James Patterson. It wasn’t possible to add to the boxes. But I did try!

Basically, what’s going is a bunch of standalone novels, some series, and some manga that I bought last year, but I’ve fallen out of love with. (This does not count SAO, Negima, or any manga I brought with me from Florida, as I still don’t want to part with them yet.)

When is this happening?

Currently, the library is accepting two boxes of donations per car on Mondays and Fridays during normal business hours. We’re hopeful to get at least two boxes dropped off on Friday, and another two on Monday (as Mom has a four day weekend, so this makes it perfect timing.

I’ve already started pulling books, which yes means that this post is technically premature, but I wanted to get a jump start. The goal for tomorrow is to cull my collection by a third. Hopefully, by more.

(Fun fact, when we moved across the country, I had 14 boxes of books, as well as several Owlcrate boxes with manga. That was the remaining third of the collection I’d been growing since I was in middle school and could pick my own books out at the bookstore. I’ve regrown that collection since we moved here, and I’d say I’ve added about 150 books as this point. I’d say I’ve doubled what I brought out here.)

So, I’m going to go finish pulling the books I want to pass on. Have a good day!

Until next time!

Book Review: Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Title: Yolk
Author: Mary H.K. Choi
Series: Standalone
Publish Date: March 2, 2021
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: Print, Hardcover

Goodreads Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Mary H.K. Choi comes a funny and emotional story about two estranged sisters switching places and committing insurance fraud to save one of their lives.

Jayne Baek is barely getting by. She shuffles through fashion school, saddled with a deadbeat boyfriend, clout-chasing friends, and a wretched eating disorder that she’s not fully ready to confront. But that’s New York City, right? At least she isn’t in Texas anymore, and is finally living in a city that feels right for her.

On the other hand, her sister June is dazzlingly rich with a high-flying finance job and a massive apartment. Unlike Jayne, June has never struggled a day in her life. Until she’s diagnosed with uterine cancer.

Suddenly, these estranged sisters who have nothing in common are living together. Because sisterly obligations are kind of important when one of you is dying.

Review: To be totally honest, this book was a test of patience. And I am glad that it paid off.

Before I go into the novel itself, let me talk about the cover. I’m not sure if it is standard, but the cover design blew me away. I have the Barnes and Noble YA book club edition and it’s so beautiful. The detail on the hardcover of the book was so lovely, and having their hands stretch across the pages on the edge was perfect. Kudos to whoever designed it.

As for the book, it took me a long time to get into it. Almost 100 pages, actually. Maybe it’s because I couldn’t really sympathize with Jayne, or maybe it was the writing style, but something held me back. Then, around page 100, I was suddenly hooked and I couldn’t stop reading. I finally got Jayne.

This novel deals with a lot. The trigger warnings alone have been very much covered, but it is not really for the faint of heart. If you fall for characters and they tug on your heartstrings, be prepared.

But while it was a hard read, it was an important read, and I’m glad I finally sat down an gave it the love it deserves.

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Goal 24/52

(Quick note: I didn’t write a review for the 6th, 8th, 10th, 16th, and 22nd “books” I read this year, as they are five of the six The Old Guard: Tales Through Time issues, which are 32 pages each. I decided I’ll just review the series as a whole when the final issue is released in September.)

Book Review: That Weekend by Kara Thomas

~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Title: That Weekend
Author: Kara Thomas
Series: Standalone
Publish Date: June 29, 2021
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Format: Print, Hardcover

Goodreads Summary:

Three best friends, a lake house, a secret trip – what could go wrong?

It was supposed to be the perfect prom weekend getaway. But it’s clear something terrible happened when Claire wakes up alone and bloodied on a hiking trail with no memory of the past forty-eight hours.

Three went up the mountain, but only one came back.

Now everyone wants answers – most of all, Claire. She remembers Friday night, but after that… nothing. And now Kat and Jesse – her best friends – are missing.

That weekend changes everything.

What happened on the mountain? And where are Kat and Jesse? Claire knows the answers are buried somewhere in her memory, but as she’s learning, everyone has secrets – even her best friends. And she’s pretty sure she’s not going to like what she remembers.

Review: I was not expected to like this book, nor was I expecting it to surprise me like it did.

The premise of this novel was one that I’ve seen before, so before I started reading I made my guess as to what was going to happen. And while I was mostly right, I was where I was wrong. Two thirds of the way through the novel, there’s a twist that I figured would happen. But how the novel ended was something different entirely.

What I liked about this book was the characters. They’re all flawed, they all make mistakes. Claire made judgement errors all over. Kat and Jesse’s plot was wild. Honestly, though, Claire was my favorite character, and not just because she is the main voice. The journey she takes to find out the truth as to what had happened to Kat and Jesse was one that I felt fit. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. But did it fit the character to be making questionable decisions left and right? Correct.

My only real detractor from this book was that I felt some of the choices the author made in the last third of the book didn’t hold up to the rest of the writing. No spoilers here, but there’s a reveal in the final few chapters that just doesn’t work for me, and it took me out of the book for a good few minutes.

Any fans of mysteries and thrillers will probably get a good read out of this.

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Goal 23/52

(Quick note: I didn’t write a review for the 6th, 8th, 10th, 16th, and 22nd “books” I read this year, as they are the first three The Old Guard: Tales Through Time issues, which are 32 pages each. I decided I’ll just review the series as a whole when the final issue is released in September.)