What's Up? It's Monday! Reading Plans and a Bit more!

 So a few things I've been noticing as this year has started off. I make plans to read and life gets in the way. Boo! I'm behind on my goodreads goal, not for lack of want but lack of time. I think I might adjust if I can. I'm also going  to NOT plan things out as strictly as I have been, it just makes it seem like a chore and not a pleasure. 

So this week I'll be dipping in and out of the few books that I've been chugging through. The Princes in the Tower, Vanity Fair, and Adam Bede. So far all of them are good in their own way and I'm enjoying them. I will allow myself to pick up whatever floats my boat otherwise during the week. My goal this week is just to READ MORE consistently when and where I can!

Non-Bookish things:

I wouldn't call myself a "gamer" per se but I do have a few that I have played and loved tremendously. One of them being The Last of Us. I won't bore you with the whole story (you can read it here) but the games (at least the first one) has so many amazing things about it. There's great storytelling, great character development and wonderful gameplay. It's one of the best, in my opinion, post apocalyptic video game ever made! I was hopeful and yet cautious when I heard the news that they would make it into a tv show adaption. I was concerned by the choices for the main characters, Ellie and Joel, because their chemistry and relationship is what drives the main story. I love Pedro Pascal and I liked Bella Ramsay in their previous roles, but couldn't click with them as two of my fav video game characters, at least from the promos. So I went into the show with trepidation.

From the moment the show started, I was grinning from ear to ear. I do love that they got the look and the feel of the games on point. I loved (and cried)  the fact that they got Joel's relationship with his daughter Sarah (a main personality trait for Joel) so so so perfect. I was so geekily happy that they slipped in a few of my favorite lines from the game into the show. It's only been one episode but you can tell that the whole team loves the source material and want to do the best job at translating it into a different form of media, and for that I am very pleased. I have gone from trepidation to elation and very hopeful that the show will continue to do a good job with one of my favorite games. I'll keep watching!

Did you watch? What did you think? 

My Thoughts: Burn (The Last City) by Dylan Steel

 

Book Blurb:

Alphastad. The last city left standing. A refuge for a remnant of humanity. Until it isn’t.
Charlie lives on the streets — the lowest level in a city of towers. The government doesn’t care about her existence — not like if she were an upstanding citizen living on a middle or upper level. To everyone above her, she’s forgettable scum, utterly insignificant… which is exactly what she wants.

The streets of Alphastad are dangerous. Charlie’s only survived them the last three years by pledging her loyalty to the leader of her sector and by keeping her past a secret.

But when a riot breaks out, the government retaliates by cutting off the food supply and transforming Alphastad from Earth’s last refuge to a tomb. As a street runner, Charlie can smuggle in rations — if she’s willing to risk the secret she’s already killed to keep.

My thoughts: (No Spoilers)

This book started off with a lot of action, a lot of vague world building, and a handful of characters being introduced without much in the way of explanation. It was a little confusing to be dropped into what seemed like the middle of an action movie type plot. However, we got to "meet" the main character Charlie and her friend Harper and some of the others in her sector. 

Charlie is a tough girl. She's definitely earned her way up to the top, but also still has some softness. She barely avoids being a stereotype by actually being a decently written character. Her past is vague, but we know that it's kept her moving and kept her on the lower levels. 

The world building is dropped in bits and pieces, at least at the start of the book. We know it's a post apocalyptic world. We know that people are segregated. The lower class is at the bottom and the higher at top. Food is scarce, water is scarce..at least for the lower classes. The whole shebang is ruled by a man called the Prime. 

Let's talk characters shall we? I've already mentioned Charlie. She was decently written. Soft and tough. I liked her. She could have been tooo cliched, but something about her kept her from going that direction. Her best friend Harper, doesn't get much page time but she's cute, loyal and lovable. Then we have Luke. At first I was rolling my eyes as he seemed to be set up for the "enemies to lovers" trope, but I was pleasantly surprised! He too was well written and fun. 

I will say that yes there are some of the common tropes in this genre, however; I found myself looking past that at the characters and the story that was being told. The twists were somewhat surprising and I can honestly say that I didn't see one of them coming. The ending set up the next book perfectly. 

All in all, I liked the book. I will most likely read the next in the series and will do so happily. 

What Are You Reading?

 Hello my lovely friends on the interwebs! It's Monday again and you know what that means? But first, I'll give you a lil update on last week's reading!

• Adam Bede-I really am enjoying this. I didn't think I would when I started. I'm a little bit (okay a lot) behind the reading schedule but I am tackling this like today! I wanna catch up!
• Vanity Fair-There is no set schedule other than the deadline of March 31st, so I am well on track for this one. 
• The Hobbit-Poor Bilbo, I haven't really started on this one. 
• Burn by Dylan Steel-this was a review copy that looked interesting. I finished this one yesterday and you can expect the review up tomorrow. It was good! 

So onwards to what will be read this week!

I will still be chugging along with Adam Bede, The Hobbit, and Vanity Fair. But my main focus will be on reading and reviewing The Snow Hare by Paula Lichtarowicz and catching up on the read-a-long bits for The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

Hello everyone! It's Monday again, so you know what that means? I've got quite a lovely bunch of books that I am cracking into! I've finished the LoTRs series! Woot Woot! So I've decided to dive into some classics! 

Here's what's on my plate this week:

(Reading a chapter a day) 

(A goodreads read-a-long) 

Happy New Year!

 

Out with the old and in with the new! Happy New Year everyone! I'm kicking off 2023 with a bit of a personal readathon! I'm spending the day getting as much reading as I can in. I'm also starting a challenge read-a-long too! 

I'm going to finish up The Return of the King today. I'm also going to start on a review book AND I'm getting my chapter in for the read-a-long!

The readalong is The George Eliot: Chapter a Day hosted by One Catholic Life. I'll post updates on this as I go along and have any thoughts on the readings. By the end of the year I should have 6 of her works finished! (You can find the schedule for the readings/books on the link) 

First book we're going through is: 

I've also set my Goodreads 2023 challenge! I'm aiming for 115 books this year! Add me as a buddy! 

I have also started up a Bullet Journal for 2023, I aim to be more organized and productive. I'm going with a minimalistic approach so I can focus more on getting things done than getting crafty! 

With all that being said, I do hope that you all have a great day! I'm looking forward to all the bookish goodies that will be coming up in the new year!