Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 Volume 4 by Miya Kazuki, You Shiina (Illustrator), Quof (Translator)
This was more of a filler volume. I am not sure how this series will end. There are so many threads and characters. This volume had a lot of domestic duchy politics. Wilfred has gotten worse. I feel sorry for him except I prefer all the other people who are way more competent like his sister Charlotte. It was great to see more commoners again including a Gunther narrated side story. I did not miss Ferdinand and I almost rolled my eyes with Rozemyne’s obssession to try to get him to praise her. I really do not like this ship. It’ll take a lot at this point for the author to convince me of the romance.
April 5-6, 2025 on Kobo Library 2 and Clara BW.
Grief is for people by Sloane Crosley
This was a memoir primarily about the author losing her best friend and mentor. It’s a grief book with some side stories including an invasive home burglary and publishing industry drama. The tone of the book was reflective but also had dry humour discussing the events. The tone did not work for me even though I did relate to what Crosley wrote about grief. I had empathy and sympathy and some parts of it were written well. I did not really mesh with her writing style overall.
2.0x. April 6-7, 2025.
Monstress, Volume 9: The Possessed by Marjorie M. Liu (Writer), Sana Takeda (Illustrator)
Every time a new volume comes out, I completely forget what happened in this series. Yet I still find it engrossing and amazingly illustrated. I do hope that the books are approaching a finale soon. Maybe I will do a reread of the series when it’s done.
April 7, 2025.
Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg, Narrated by the author
I should not have finished this. I need to be much more particular about these self-help science books. I have nothing against the genre and I do learn some things. I do not think Duhigg’s style works for me. This is my last of his books since I do not seem to retain much from it. His explanations were fine but I did not like a lot of the case studies used. It seemed I already knew most of the info from from real life and other books. I did not learn much nor did I find it enjoyable when compared to something like Everything is Tuberculosis. I felt I needed to rush through this audiobook.
1.6-1.75x. April 9-10, 2025.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach, Helen Laser (Narrator)
This felt a bit tricky to review. I did like aspects of this novel but I wish I liked it more considering its popularity. I liked the protagonist Phoebe. I related to her in some ways and I liked seeing how her journey unfold. There were some interesting and funny moments. There was a lot of dialogue and banter but it sometimes felt a bit too much and too quippy. The ending was nicely open ended. Not my favourite of the year. It landed better for many people so I do not think it is a bad book. I listened to about two chapters on audiobook. The narrator was not my favourite so I did not listen to much of it.
1.6x April 7-10, 2025.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
For a long time, due to possible dyslexia, I thought this book was called “Wild Sargasso Sea”. I remember wanting to read this many years ago when I heard that it was about Bertha Mason from Jane Eyre who I always thought got a sad treatment in Charlotte Bronte’s novel. I really liked Jane Eyre but it was messy. This novel is messy too. It’s actually incoherent at times because a lot of things have to be inferred and there’s some stream of consciousness writing. Rochester is not remotely likable and Rhys wrote him more as an archetype of English colonial powers than an actual character. I did like how lush and atmospheric the writing was and how sadly she portrayed Antoinette. Even though she was white, Antoinette and her poor family were ostracized, used, and tormented by everyone around them. I found that sadly realistic. I can see why the book is considered a postcolonial and feminist classic even though the prose rattled at odd turns. I am glad I finally read it.
April 11-12, 2025.
A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World’s Most Misunderstood Bird by Rosemary Mosco with Janet Metzger (Narrator)
This was a funny and easy going bird book. I needed something light after Supercommunicators and the last two novels. I have become really into ornithology in the last couple of years. I like reading about other bird watchers too. This one was funny and informative. Pigeons are maligned and even I was wary of them as a kid. Now I see them as vestiges of human carelessness and survivors of bad stewardship. The book gave good insight and advice on how we should treat them.
1.5x. April 11-13, 2025.