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.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 Volume 1 by Miya Kazuki with quof (Translator), You Shiina (Illustrator)

Royal Academy Third Year. Fun! These are some of the better parts of the stories after the commoner years in part 2. A lot happens at the Academy and it feels like things are opening wider politically.

March 31-April 1st, 2025 on Kobo Libra 2 and Kobo Clara BW.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 Volume 2 by Miya Kazuki with quof (Translator), You Shiina (Illustrator)

The Royal Academy has that nice touch of dark academia with all the secret library stuff. Or is it light academia since it’s not that dark? This book was mostly about an intense ditter game and a religious ceremony. I warmed to Wilfred warmed a little in this part as he is realized again how inadequate he is. I hope he develops. Also he has a new potential romance. Him and Rozemyne are not end game so I am not worried but I wish the engagement would end soon though.

April 1st-April 2nd, 2025 on Kobo Libra 2 and Kobo Clara BW.

Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton with Louise Brealey (Narrator)

Beautiful memoir about a woman who rescued a hare during the pandemic. I’ve been waiting to read this ever since I saw the cover. It has gorgeous illustrations. I was fortunate enough to get the physical copy from the library and the audiobook at the same time. Grateful that I could be late a couple days since my library has no overdue fees. I learned a lot about hares who are mysterious animals that have never been domesticated. The writing is reflective, slow, and considerate about the human relationship with nature. I adored this book.

1.5x. March 31-April 2, 2025.

Mismatched: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Emma by Anne Camlin, Isadora Zeferino (artist)

This was a well illustrated graphic novel adaptation of Emma. It had its cute moments. It also felt like it was checking boxes since the character development had to be rushed for the format.

April 3, 2025

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 Volume 3 by Miya Kazuki with You Shiina (Illustrator), quof (Translator)

Well, I dislike Wilfred again after the retainers complained in the prologue of this chapter and his own story at the end of this novel. What an idiot. This was my least favourite volume in awhile. It was slow paced and covered about a week. Also I am not a shipper of the main couple so the constant hints and discussions about them from others was tiresome. I also wish Ferdinand would be nicer to Rozemyne since he’s a tsundere. I’m frustrated since it seems he’s everyone’s favourite male character. I much prefer the commoner people from Myne’s life like Lutz and her family. I need to take a break from these novels.

April 2-3 , 2025 on Kobo Libra 2.

Everything is Tuberculolsis by John Green (Narrator)

I adored John Green’s The Anthropocene Reviewed. It was one of the audiobooks I listened to when I was recovering from COVID which was apt considering Green has become a great health writer. This book is mostly a history about tuberculosis and about his friend Henry who is a TB survivor. This book hit so many points for me as someone who has an academic background in population health and social epidemiology. Green’s nonfiction writing is a great mix of research and reflective, insightful thoughts. He has a very humanistic and empathetic tone. He is a fantastic narrator too. I loved this book so much I looked for and bought a signed copy at my local indie.

1.5x. April 3-4, 2025.

Love & Saffron: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love by Kim Fay (Author/Narrator), Kimberly Farr (Narrator), Cassandra Campbell (Narrator), Mark Bramhall (Narrator), Maggi-Meg Reed (Narrator)

This was a sweet historical and epistolary novel between two women in the 1960s. It was short, had recipes, and a lovely wholesome vibe. Full cast narration on the audiobook too.

1.5x. April 5, 2025.

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I read 30 books in February. It was a bit too much even for me.

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I think I am reading too much again.

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A lot of books consumed this week as I got into children’s books again.

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Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake (Narrator)

It’s a mushroom book that is narrated by the scientist author. He had a very nice, soothing voice which made this a lovely listen. I have always been fascinated with fungi because of fermentation and yeast. I am not sure how much knowledge I absorbed from the book other than that fungi and mushrooms are cool. Fungi are closer to animals than plants and they are integral to plant and animal life on Earth. I am really glad I can listen to so many nonfiction books now and it has changed my reading life.

1.5x. Jan 28-Feb 1, 2025.

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

A reading buddy and I have a joke that the Booker panels are allergic to plot. The vast majority of Booker prize winners have little to no action. This one was a classic example. Not much happened to six astronauts on an international space station. It was very slow. There were a few well written lines and I got to know the characters. It was a short novel as well.

Jan 29-Feb 2, 2025 on Kobo Clara BW.

Ascendance of a Bookworm (Light Novel), Part 2 Volume 3 by Miya Kazuki, Y? Shiina (Illustrator), Quof (Translator)

I inhaled this volume in two evenings. Now that I am home, I can read when I want. Why is this one of the best fantasy series I’ve read? It’s hard to describe in words because the book has strong world building, cozy characters, and a unique pace that is slow yet not boring. The writing could be better. It was clearly made for a young audience and for quick reading. The characters and setting more than make up for it. In this book, we’re introduced to Sylvester who is an important character in this world. Since I have been spoiled by the manga I know who is but Myne does not. He’s the kind of character you only see in Japanese manga and anime: a spoilt, juvenile man but is still a good and reliable person under the surface. I feel like I could inhale this series but it’s much better for me to read two-three a month since I need to focus on all the other books I have.

Feb 3-4, 2025 on Kobo Libra 2.

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande, Robert Petkoff (Narrator)

This has been on my TBR for years. I finally decided to listen to it as that is what I am doing with most nonfiction recently. This is an important book and more people need to read it and its topic. Society should consider ageing and elder care more especially in a time where all industrialized populations are growing older. Like the author, I come from a culture where elders are cared for in the family. Nursing homes have always felt peculiar to me as a result since all of my grandparents passed away while living at home with their adult children and grandchildren. As the author notes, these places are very institutionalized and similar to prison in terms of controlling what you can and cannot do. The book discussed how best to make decisions if you were also diagnosed with terminal conditions. It emphasized the importance of hospice care and assisted living facilities. The one thing I wish the book would have spent more time discussing is assisted dying. This is more controversial in the USA where the author is from. As a doctor, he wants to preserve life and insisted that assisted living and hospice should be considered first. I live in Canada where Medical Assistance in dying (MAID) is legal. I may need to read a Canadian book on this topic because while I know that hospice and assisted living are very helpful, I believe MAID has its place. Lots to consider. Essential reading for everyone.

1.5x. Feb 1-5, 2025.

ADHD is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD by Penn Holderness and Kristen Holderness (authors / narrators)

Like most ADHD books I’ve been listening too, I got it based on the title. I did not know the authors were content creators and reality show winners. Of all the books I’ve listened to, this one was most like a podcast as the authors bantered off one another. There were definitely moments when I wanted to dump this book because a lot of this info was basic things I could find in other ADHD resources. While I did not mind the writing bad, I became a bit wary of this couple’s gung-ho style. The advice is not bad per se but things I have already knew. I also don’t think they really defined why ADHD was awesome objectively speaking. Personally, I like my ADHD but I’m high performing and so is Penn. Not everyone is as privileged in their lifestyle or work either. I did appreciate how they emphasized how it is different for everyone though.

1.75-2.0x. Feb 5-7, 2025.

Internal Time: Chronotypes, Social Jet Lag, and Why You’re So Tired by Till Roenneberg, Grover Gardner (Narrator)

I have had this on my list for awhile. I was even more interested in chronobiology after my insomnia issues a couple years ago. This book had a good summary of the topic from a leading scientist in the field. The format of the book starts each chapter with a fictional story which is used to explain a concept. I have seen format in other nonfiction books and do not like it. The stories end up hollow since the author is not a fiction writer. I’d prefer the straight facts but I know others may prefer to learn through anecdotes. A good subject but only recommended if really want to know more about chronobiology.

1.25-1.5x. January 24-28, 2024.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

I liked this more than People Who Meet on Vacation. Objectively, this was a good contemporary romance novel. It had decent banter, an interesting female lead, and was subverting the small town romance trope. Nora feels different and more developed than most female leads. I appreciated the childfree representation. There was a good sibling relationship. Overall, it’s well done. I still found myself still bored with the length and the contrived conflicts. The book had the typical romance tropes of Other Guy, Love Triangle, and Poor Communication. I wish I liked this more than I did, but most of these contemporary romances don’t do it for me. I need to really consider before picking up on another. I won’t say no to another Henry novel but not anytime soon.

Listened to a little bit on audiobook. I generally like Julia Whelan as a narrator but her voice for Charlie did not work for me.

1.75x. Read January 23-25, 2025 on Kobo Clara BW and Kobo Libra 2.

Ascendance of a Bookworm (Light Novel), Part 2 Volume 2 by Miya Kazuki, Y? Shiina (Illustrator), Quof (Translator)

I was not able to read this as often as the previous novels. This had an exciting plot movement towards the end. Gosh I love this series.

Read Jan 15-30, 2025 read on Kobo Clara BW and Kobo Libra 2.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot #1) by Agatha Christie

I hit a bit of a reading slump at this point on my trip. I had trouble trying to find my first read of 2025 and remembered that I could not go no wrong with Christie. This was the first Poirot mystery published in 1920. I tend to save my Christie novels as they are so reliable. This one was shorter and less detailed than later Poirot or Marples. As usual, there was a twist or two that I missed. Good dialogue and pacing as usual.

Jan 2-6, 2025 on Kobo Clara BW.

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

It’s been awhile since I read sci-fi and I’d heard good things about these novellas. I really enjoyed the characters and adored Murderbot. As someone who prefers fantasy, I actually found the violence and danger in this more tense. It was suspenseful. I know that Murderbot has more adventures and dangers ahead. I will miss the human characters from this installment though. Looking forward to the planned TV adaptation.

Jan 7-9, 2025 on Kobo Clara BW.

Ascendance of a Bookwworm, Part 2 Volume 1 by Miya Kazuki, Quof (Translator), You Shiina (Illustrator)

Great bed time reading as usual. It’s good to move the plot to the temple. I only have 1-2 volumes left before I’m caught up to the manga.

Jan 7-11, 2025 on Kobo Clara BW.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

This was a surprisingly great read. It was a buzzy book about a single mom who starts an OnlyFans account. It was funny and so much more. It had a great protagonist who felt genuinely clever, stupid, and very human. The book had themes of family, drug addiction, gender, and economics. It had threads about fiction, content, and art creation. I was moved by Margo’s love for her baby. The author did such a fantastic job with the depth and pacing of the whole novel. Interested in the planned TV adaptation as well.

Jan 12–13, 2025 on Kobo Clara BW.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas with Elizabeth Evans (Narrator)

Finally after three books, I was engaged for most of this installment. I really liked the training and the new character Rowan. I found the pacing much better than the previous books. I feel more excited for the next few books. The audiobook did help and the narrator did a good job. I will likely divide the rest between audio and some ebook. I likely will do the tandem read as well.

2.0x. Jan 6-15, 2025.

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas with Elizabeth Evans (Narrator)

Still fun! After being irked by Chaol for about three books, I am slowly warming up to him a little. Many good characters and the pacing was good. While I like Manon, I preferred the other characters so I would speed up on the Manon parts more. I have decided to do the next two books tandem through audiobook and maybe ebook. I do not know when. I am fine with waiting to finish this later in the year as I like listening to SJM novels while travelling. It’s become almost a tradition.

2.0-2.5x Jan 16-21, 2-25.