What a volume!!!
Action packed way to start this one, picking up right after the last one with the fight between Hyo, Heisuke and Kumanomi.
That entire moment was amazing and I'm still a bit in a daze about that fight's outcome.

The volume moves on to the others as Sakamoto and gang confront Slur at the abandoned warehouse or it is Slur? Lots more twists and turns at the end of this one so I need to put a hold at the library for the next volume.

Considering how long I had this book on my digital shelf, I feel it was ok.
Admitting it's ok is a hard thing to say considering how the book starts which has a very emotional and hard scene to read which can be triggering to some as it involves a tragic car accident but it feels like the rest of the book is at odds and anticlimactic not to mention has more flashbacks then present tense moments so it can feel abrupt at different times.

It's been some time since I read an anthology and this was on my TBR.
The premise to use a single trope, in this case of the older brother and heir in a pickle because their wives can no longer have kids and they're left with daughters so they turn to their younger brothers to force them to marry and beget children ASAP, was interesting because same basic trope and each author had a different way of making it happen and I was here for that!

I absolutely am in love with Splashmaster, I know.. I know, he's the villain for this one but he's also so freaking adorbs but then again there's also the Nightmare Knight, who got me intrigued due to his one action so I came away liking the villains in this book a lot more than any of the other characters. Didn't like the new character but we'll see ..

Personally I want to see more of the Nightmare Knight 😂

I had placed a hold for this at the end of last year on a whim and it didn't disappoint which is a nice change compared to some other newer reads I've read of late.

I enjoyed the premise of a romance writer suffering writer's block while a romantic upcoming actor who's dealing with another breakup under the public eye. He helps her writer's block by reigniting romance for her and she in turn will ruin romance for him, one trope at a time.

Overall this was very cute and a lighthearted read that I just enjoyed. It only took so long because I had to return it to the library and it was months before I could get a copy to borrow 😂
The three stories interconnect nicely by either character relationships or the setting as all stories are in and around an airport setting. I think of the three stories, 'The Missed Connection' was my all time favorite.

I've had this on my TBR for a really long time so I'm glad to finally have read it!
I always liked the movie but felt like there was something missing from it and so I was hoping that the book would give me something more but oddly enough the book read even choppier, if you can believe it.

Dialogue felt stilted at different moments, scenes were awkward in a way that weren't in the film but all in all a solid read that reminded me of why I love it

I absolutely enjoyed this!
I'm so much older than the inspired ages for this but it was a fun read especially as this book veers away from the usual hero arc and makes light of other fantasy tropes in a way that lets a younger sister take the lead and be a hero as her older brother just wants to go to magic school.
And with that cliffhanger, I need to know what happens to our brother and sister team now!

I knew this was Reylo coded early on.
Everything to me was reading as them just in a modern AU setting and I couldn't not stop seeing them or the rest of the book cast as various Star Wars characters just to find out that this did indeed did start off as SW fanfiction, so I feel validated 😄😂

I definitely enjoyed the side characters, how they all managed to stay friends with Ari is questionable to me because of how she read on page.
#pantone2025

Bought this from a social teaser and I'm not going to lie based off of it, I was really excited to read it.

At 100 pages, the book was too short for all the tropes it tried to fit in and make work, creating a rushed and plot whole filled read. There's potential for so much more here and I'm a bit saddened by the idea of the potential because it's pretty much right there.
All in all, I was looking for what the teaser teased me with 😔

FANGS, Vol.3 by Billy Balibally

I like that this volume explained some questions I had from the other two but something about the pacing of it, makes me think there could be more but not so centered around En and Ichii?, but I could be wrong.

The build up of Megi from the last volume to this one was interesting but it also feels flat. So I'm hoping for more on his character but we'll see; the volume ended with an open ending.

I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much as I did, much less have it take me back to High School and give me all sorts of emotions like this did.

The overall story was fun! It was so much fun to read about a high school prom, the ups and downs of that age, the changes in relationships, the growing apart and yet forming new relationships, the borderline of being a kid and yet learning to grow still.

@Lauredhel #pantone2025
#25in2025

I just started reading this one and Idk but I'm getting Reylo vibes. Has anyone else who read this got that vibe?

I really enjoyed this volume.
Getting the rest of Haratake's backstory and seeing the origin of the character as they are today was so good. Truly a great way to tell and drive the story as we circle back to present day and our down and out samurai coming to terms with the fact that greater things are at risk while showcasing his endeavouring love to his wife.

I can't wait to see where the next volume goes from here!

This was absolutely fun!
It was pretty much what I was hoping for as I do love it when villains have their moments and this book gave me so many great villainous moments.

Normally I'm not into the isekai genre in general so I probably could have done without it but everything else .... Was just so much fun- the wit, satire, despair, snark, hope, and characterizations were what I didn't know I was looking for till I started reading it.

I know very little about RuPaul's personal life so this was a nice intro to the person from their early start as a good portion of the book is about their childhood, family home, early start in show business, drag, as well as a general gloss-over of their current.

The book started out strong but it does feel, maybe part of the gloss-over for me, that it loses steam a bit halfway into the book but then again, they have a 20+ years to try to cover.

Idk how to describe this one.
It's an odd premise of a cook running a food truck in the middle of nowhere, meets a naked girl in a sleeping bag in the middle of the road, who turns out is wanted by an armed militia. It's too early for an actual storyline in this volume but I'm sure something is going to happen just based on how this volume ended.

I don't think I'm going to continue the rest of this series since I'm not in like with it.

I've had this on my TBR for so long I had almost given up hope that I would get to read it, but the library had a copy!!!!

I liked the range of folk tales from around the world, although a lot are from Great Britain, overall it was a good mix of different countries which is nice to read but I only ended up enjoying a handful of tales.

@Lauredhel #pantone2025
#popsugarreadingchallenge #25in2025

Omg what an illegal cliffhanger!!!!!
Idk when the next volume is happening but I am psyched for it.

Liu has a great way of writing tension and that fact that it's been every volume highlighting different arcs but all tying together is intensive but I am here for it.

@Lauredhel #pantone2025
#25in2025 #fromthetbr

Wow..... This book was heavily detailed, rich and colorful like the paintings Kahlo was known for.

Hours worth of journal entries from herself as well Diego, letters written by her and to her, articles, and interviews highlight Kahlo and show her as this majestic, larger than life, exotic and fiery individual who captivated so many.

@Lauredhel #pantone2025 #hibiscus
#popsugarreadingchallenge #25in2025

This was a fun volume highlighting Yor, as she takes on a bodyguard role from the last volume.

It was great to see Yor in action, as it's been a while so I enjoyed that but that didn't happen till later in the volume as more than half of this felt like filler as it gave details of the backstory, a bit of Twilight and Anya, and even Yor's boss got a highlight, which wow because dude still has it.

I am enjoying that this volume is picking up from the last one, amidst a flashback story and in mid action as Young Sakamoto and Co. are in mid mission.

I'm surprised by the reveal, even though I knew it would come, beca se I didn't think Kindaka's involvement with the Order was quite this way and while I don't want to spoil it, the specifics of it is what surprised me.

As personal as this was, Shraya is not telling me something that I, like many women already are aware. I respect the author for writing this, I do, but there are certain moments that I had issues with.

I feel like there is a lot missing context at different points that could have helped explain and add reflection to different moments of the book l because there's moments where it feels that Shraya is misogynistic herself towards all genders.

This was cute, a bit messy for me but cute. And I say messy because a lot happened but there was no sense of time so I didn't and couldn't figure out how much time had passed from one chapter to the next to try have time or a plot.

Not sure if I want to continue the rest of the series but this was cute and fun.
#fromthetbr #25in2025

I love Godzilla and this was such an adorable picture book showcasing himself, Mothra, King Ghidorah, Mecha Godzilla and more showing the different ways that loves make a person or monster feel.

The illustrations are wholesome and make some of the monsters look so cute. Seeing them drawn in this style, it would be hard to think they're Godzilla's foes in the movies.

@Lauredhel #pantone2025 #popsugarreadingchallenge

Not sure what was missing but I found the pacing to be very slow, adding on to the feeling of introspection and meditation that I wasn't expecting every chapter, every page but there it was time and time again, slow and methodical but it's beautifully written nonetheless just not for me.

@Lauredhel #pantone2025 #popsugarreadingchallenge #25in2025

This is my year of slower reading.
I read a lot of books that I just didn't post about at the same time I finished them because I was juggling a lot of reads and felt bogged down by trying to capture them and my thoughts to post that I fell behind and then I was left scrambling to post them all soooo....

Yeah.... I've decided on a slower reading pace this year to allow me to not just just enjoy my reading but the overall experience of reviewing.

It's been some years since I read Shakespeare and I honestly couldn't remember reading this one so I gave it a shot and for a short play, I found it to be slightly boring.
Maybe it's the pacing at the beginning but I found it to be messy and in some areas dull where in others slightly racist and pompous.

Thanks @SerialReader for helping me knock a book of my TBR 💕

#popsugarreadingchallenge

I absolutely enjoyed this book! I am so glad I decided to read this even after disliking the author's other book 'L.A Weather' that I read in 2024.

I found this story to be enticing right from the opening and in between the different timelines, Escandon kept my interest with both the story and the characterizations of not just Libertad but all of the characters.

@Lauredhel #pantone2025
#25in2025

Absolutely kicking myself for waiting this long to listen to the details, story, love, and attention to detail that I was hoping to hear about one of my favorite movies!

This audiobook was fantastic! Full of interviews from cast and crew, and boy do I mean crew, from producers, set designers, riggers, makeup, what a range of people all having to do in and around Mad Max: Fury Road.

#pantone2025 @Lauredhel #25in2025

I absolutely loved Nam's take and illustration of this manga.
She drew a lot of the characters in such a way that mirrored how I imagined them during the original read of Rowell's book.

Just like when I read the book, I'm saddened to end the manga. I've enjoyed every variation of this whether it's in manga, like here, the audiobook or the actual book, I enjoy it every time 😍
#pantone2025 @Lauredhel

Finished my first TBR read of the year!

Families are complex and this audiobook of the Broadway recording showcases the complexion of the Younger family, an African American family with dreams of more.

I borrowed the audiobook which was performed by the original Broadway Cast and to hear the different emotions and the tension filled pauses during the different peaks of the play was fantastic. I would definitely want to see this play for myself.

This isn't about the selected book.

I got a good amount of the #pantone2024 colors that only 3 were missing this year!
Woohoo 🎉🙌🏻 so I'm very pumped for this year's go around 😀

@BarbaraBB @Lauredhel

My first 2025 finished read!
It gave me some of the backstory into Sakamoto's early days, and his friendships with Akao and Nagumo, and their meeting with X!

I didn't realize how much I needed these flashbacks because now a lot is making sense!

I honestly thought this was going to be a story of the house told by the POV of Mericat but was I wrong.

It's a haunting read of two sisters and their uncle, the remnants of a family, living through the ordeal of a very public murder of their family, a very suspicious and nosy town, and the greed of a cousin calling to prey.

So glad to have read this and be able to knock another book off my TBR and the final book of 2024!

What a great way to continue Maggie's story!

Told within weeks of the the aftermath at what happened in Black Mesa, Maggie is left reeling and with little to no friends or a clue as to her next steps, she takes on a bounty with Hestin that leads her to an unforseen adventure starting with a bounty hunt gone wrong, a meeting of new and old friends, the introduction of a man who sees himself as a Savior and the chance to find Kai again.

This one isn't listed but counting down my last three 2024 reads!

A quick read which was light and just fluffy enough with the grumpy x sunshine trope mixed in with an office romance.

All in all there was just enough slow burn between Ronan and Becca that made the otherwise quick romance work and me believe in them as a pairing and the dual pov helped push the romance factor reading both characters inner thoughts
#pantone2024

This was way cuter than I expected and I ended up reading this way faster than I thought because the dialogue was great— fantastically witty, smart, and just real enough for the characters and within the narrative that I ate this up.

This was just the entertaining, sarcastic, fun and steamy read that I needed and didn't know. I had read other romances this year but again, I read this much faster than I thought.

I wasn't sure what to expect out of this but i had so much fun listening to this!

It's classically the good vs. evil story in which our assistant pig keeper Taran finds himself on yet another quest beset from the first one, as he and his group consisting of Flam, Princess Eilonwy, Doli & Gurgi are looking for the cauldron before Death Lord Arawn can create more cauldron-born and have his own dastardly plans come true.
#pantone2024

Absolutely enjoyed this this one!
This feels like a classic folk tale, what with Agatha having to take on missions/adventures to win favors from the Fae, intertwined into Agatha's every day life in her sleepy little village.

I truly loved the water colors and character designs. Everything was just a treat to look at. I really enjoyed Hyacinth the most and wouldn't have minded more of them.

Oh Sy-on boy... Kid just can't catch a break and he's trying so hard to get some recognition and some time and love from his dad, which from earlier volumes hinted that he hadn't had in some time so it was nice how much of this volume was Damian.

I love that the comedy is still there even with the other chapters focusing on Bond, Yuri, and Yor even , as we get to see some behind the scenes of his work filled days.

I normally don't read self help books.
I find a lot of times that they can either be preachy or full of things I already know and not useful to me but this one was interesting to me.

I have a base idea of burnout and what that looks like for me but this book gave me some research and science that helped me know why I was feeling how I am and the wording and tools to help me understand how it happens.

I'm going to use this weekend to wrap on my 2024 reads because I want to get better about posting my reads as I finish them 😂

I'm pretty bad about posting my current reads here... So very bad at that but I'm going to try to get better 🤞🏼

Got a few more '24 reads to post and here's another that fit into all my reading challenges last year!
An absolutely beautifully illustrated story of Greta, the people and dragons she meets, friendship, and community.

I love the diverse looks of all the characters in body shape, height, and type as there's humans and dragons plus the coloring is just enchanting. I could look through this a few times and not get bored 😍
#pantone2024

More 2024 reads!
I'm continuing to enjoy this series.

There's a gradual build up from volume to volume as the story unfolds, the world building becomes grander in detail and scale, and the characterizations of both existing and new characters are either deepened or being introduced in a way that is helping explain the store while providing some background.
#pantone2024

Continuing my 2024 reads since I'm kicking myself for not reading this one sooner!!

It's a fun read, great world building, character dialogue was witty and felt grounded within the characters, and not knowing much of the Diné culture and history, Roanhorse explored and provided that information throughout the book that propelled the story and characters in a way that didn't feel dry or stalling to the story.

#pantone2024

I wasn't sure this one could be cuter than the first book but I was proven wrong!

I loved that it had a similar theme to the first book, in regards to discovery of self worth and friendship. A great read and the images are just as beautiful, detailed, and rich in color. Easy to read and follow along for young readers, or any age readers since I'm definitely older than the demographic for this one 😂

Continuing my 2024 posts real quick

Picking up from the last one, there's more history between Shishiba and Yotsumura as they're fighting keeps taking place across the streets of Kyoto while at the same time, over at the JCC, Sakamoto faces off another of Slur's dudes that I can't stand as he monologues a lot. As in too much for my taste, so I was looking forward to this fight.

Story is about Fuchi-san, who we never see clearly, has a facial disfigurement that has brought her nothing but heartache, isolation, and bullying from her classmates. Ironically her mother, recently deceased, was a beautiful actress and left her a mysterious message and lipstick, which she learns the hard, when applied, she can take on a person's face once kissed.

The volume ends a repetitive note for me so I might not keep going but so-so.

There's something about reading people's inner thoughts that make me feel a bit of a voyeur but this was a good book with lots of thought towards the selection process.

I do feel that it ended without closure though, as it ended with a submission, and not any final words from Anderson, which although she writes the prefaces to every chapter, which I felt could have rounded this out nicely to get some final thoughts.