A Last Goodbye by Elin Kelsey, Soyeon Kim (Illustrator)

A well done children’s book about death using animals.

October 1, 2024.

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

This was a prequel collection of connected novellas. I am reading the series in the recommended order with this being the third book. I continue to feel a tad underwhelmed. I like the protagonist and some of the characters, but I struggle through everything else including the length of these novels. I am not a big plot reader. There is this strange thing with SJM novels where I feel that a lot of happens but as the same time, not a lot of happens due to the length of the novels. The pacing is off. In the down moments, I get bored but then the plot thickens and it’s fine since they finish well. While I did not love ACOTAR, I think I preferred the world building in that series. I wish there was a bit more magic in this one. It feels like the series keeps building up to something big which is why I keep reading. I hope I won’t be disappointed if I continue. The books are dialogue heavy and easy to read overall though. I am considering listening to some of the next book in audiobook to see if it’s easier. I wish there was a full Graphic Audio for this series. I read mostly Kindle Keyboard and Kobo Libra 2 even though I had the book from the library.

Read on Kindle Keyboard and Kobo Libra 2. September 21-October 2024.

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes with Louis Slobodkin (Illustrator)

Newberry winner from 1944 about bullying. Nice but illustrations were lacking. I hope they can redo the art for future editions.

October 3, 2024.

Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Francesc Miralles and Héctor García Puigcerver, Walter Dixon (Narrator)

I had this hardcover from a Little Library. It’s cute and small. The book does not offer anything I do not know about aging, but it offered a chance to reflect. I have been contemplating the meaning of life these days. I’ve never really had a calling for anything and to this day, work for me is a means for me to make money. There is other work though which includes non renumeration and working on one’s self. Even though I love a lot of things like reading and being with my friends, I do not necessarily know if this is sufficient to define my “ikigai”. I read a great quote the other day:

“The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.” – Alan Watts

I wouldn’t necessarily say I’ve been trying to rush for a bigger goal. I do want to live my life mindfully and spiritually. I am really a simple person and have a very small family. I will continue to try and push my boundaries a bit more through meeting new people, volunteering, and taking care of my mental health. I do like my current work. I love my family and friends. I also love to read, be fit, etc. I will try not to worry too much about what the meaning of my life. This was a nice little book which was not essential reading but allowed me to examine life a little bit.

1.35x. October 3-6, 2024.

Ascendance of a Bookworm (Manga) Part 1 Volume 2 and 3 by Suzuka, Miya Kazuki with quof (Translator)

Two volumes in a row. I am doing these in bulk because I am really getting into the story now. Volume 2 started off slow and I found Myne the protagonist a bit annoying as she was squeamish about butchering and whined a few times. Then again she is a 20 year old woman stuck in the body of a 5 year old. I thought Volume 3 picked up the pace a lot more with new characters, conflicts, and actual fantasy elements. There is a lot of crafting in these books and it notably shows the protagonist struggling in a way that’s realistic or as a realistic as it can be in an portal fantasy. I’ll likely try to binge read this before starting another manga series I want to start. As someone who grew up with anime, I did not read any manga except Sailor Moon for a long time. Now in my thirties, I am finally finding ones that I truly like.

October 6, 2024.