June 2023 Wrap-up
This month was a sporadic up and down of genre, book length, and mini reading slumps. Here's a sort of one sentence review / look at the books I read.
Loves:
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
I loved Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. I liked the slow journey the main character, Viv, takes and all the folks she meets along the way. Felt very lighthearted and compassionate. Definitely lives up to what people say about it.
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
As you can see, I’ve been in a bit of a romance genre kick lately. A Lady for a Duke (the first I’ve read from Alexis Hall) just had that je ne sais quoi. I loved the writing style, all the characters, and couldn’t put it down but also wanted to prolong my reading as much as possible so it didn’t end. I can’t wait to reread this.
Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui
My sister convinced me to read Delicious in Dungeon (vol. 1-3). This was kind of a slow burn for me. The genre is a mix of adventure and, delicious and always creative, cooking. Here we follow a group of adventurers who are on a budget. To overcome their financial restrictions they start cooking what they find in the dungeon they are exploring. It’s got some great world building and the characters sold it for me.
Likes:
Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry
One of my goals for 2023 was to read more nonfiction and Ghosts of the Tsunami: Death and Life in Japan's Disaster Zone was a TikTok recommendation. I only knew about this event from movies I’d watched before so it was an interesting and heartbreaking look back. I would love to read more about this from a Japanese perspective, too.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Both read and rewatched Good Omens to get ready for the newest season of the show. It was very witty and pretty fast paced. I liked it overall but did find myself skimming some sections.
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
After the whole twitter blow up of This Is How You Lose the Time War I found it on sale and bought it. This took me a night to read almost without putting it down. And what a rollercoaster of emotions I had. The end really pulled through.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Finally, my last read for June was, Cemetery Boys. I liked this one. It was fun while reading but I didn’t feel like I couldn’t put it down.
Hell's Paradise by Yuji Kaku
Started reading Hell's Paradise (vol. 1-3) after watching some of the anime. At first I thought it was just okay. It had solid, fun characters, intriguing mystery, and inventive action but after the first three volumes this manga really hits its stride. I have read past this since and it keeps getting better.
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is a memoir that focuses on the author's loneliness, experiences with sexuality, and her endeavors to find where she belongs. It felt unfiltered and to the point without sensationalizing any events that happened.
Okays:
She and Her Cat by Tsubasa Yamaguchi
Like the other adaptations of She and Her Cat, Tsubasa Yamaguchi sprinkles some magic into it, plus cats! It was a sweet slice of life about people, connections to each other, and their cats.
Villains Are Destined to Die by Gyeoeul Gwon
Villains Are Destined to Die (vol. 1-3) is one of a few pieces I’ve read in this villain reincarnation genre. I thought there were some interesting aspects of characters and the world but overall I didn’t love this. Like in a game, the characters felt too stiff in their actions and responses. There was no connection to the main character and her interactions with the other characters just made me mad.
Bloom Into You by Nakatani Nio
I also didn’t love Bloom Into You (vol. 1-3). It felt like the characters were all over the place and none of the characters really stuck out. I also wasn’t sure about how this dealt with certain aspects of the characters’ sexualities. Maybe I’d have to reread it but it just didn’t click with me.