30/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

Another month of buying and buying.. At least I've read a lot. Around 4000 pages. I probably finish Annihilation Squad today or tomorrow morning... 

Favourite novel of the month? I enjoy Pet Sematary a lot and Black Paradox and Scythe. If I had to choose one would be Pet Sematary. Disapointing? Hmm Beneath the Dar Ice & One without any doubt.  I will post a review in the coming days..

Already Finish

1. The Snake-Man's Bane Howie K Bentley 138p (1/7)
2. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195p (3/7)
3. Prophecy David Seltzer 247p (6/7)
4. Third Girl Agatha Christie 365p (11/7)
5. Beneath the Dark Ice - Greig Beck 410p (14/7) Audiobook
6. Scythe Neal Shusterman                  442p       (15/7)
7. Black Paradox - Junji Ito                         208p      (15/7)
8. One        Conrad Williams                        363p     (20/7)
9. The Last Hunt - Robbie MacNiven           416p      (21/7)
10. Pet Sematary     Stephen King               576        (27/7)
11. The Abstainer    Ian McGuire                  368         (30/7)

Ongoing

1. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan           164/705pp (23%)
2. Return of the Sword Anthology 48/327 (14%)
3. Fracture Event Kathleen & Michael Gear 260/315 (85%) Audiobook
4. Annihilation Squad Gav Thorpe 250/412 

TBR next six months

1. Scythe Neal Shusterman 445
2. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195
3. Prophecy David Seltzer 247
4. Third Girl Agatha Christie 365
5. Funland Richard Laymon 500
6. Deep Fathom James Rollins 581
7. One Conrad Williams 363
8. Pet Sematary Stephen King 465
9. Promise of the Witch-King R A Salvatore 373
10. Galaxy In Flames Ben Counter 408
11. Annihilation Squad Gav Thorpe 412
12. Thunder Head Neal Shusterman 515
13. The  Toll Neal Shusterman 631
14. The Body Snatchers Jack Finney 230
15. The Sailor on the Sea of Fates Michael Moorcock 128
16. The Weird of the White Wolf Michael Moorcock 113
17. Slugs Shaun Hutson 208
18. Dark Nocturne Hideyuki Kikuchi 204
19. Pale Fallen Angel Part one and two Hideyuki Kikuchi 299
20. Pale Fallen Angel Part three and four Hideyuki Kikuchi 290
21. The Stake Richard Laymon 506
22. Darkness Tell Us Richard Laymon 504
23. Road of the Patriarch R A Salvatore 375
24. Elephants can Remember Agatha Christie 299
25. Curtain - Poirot's Last Case Agatha Christie 284
26. Darth Plagueis James Luceno 481
27. Shadows of the Empire Steve Perry  385
28. The Devoured and the Dead Kristopher Ruffy 244
29. Last of the Ravagers Bryan Smith 256
30. The Ruins Scott Smith 524
31. In The Coils of the Labyrinth David Annandale 346
32. Shadows of Pnath Josh Reynolds 331
33. Lair of the Crystal Fang S. A. Sidor 363
34. The Deadly Grimoire Rosemary Jones 344
35. Crowfall Ed McDonald 454
36. Ravencry Ed McDonald 414
37. Meddling Kids Edgar Cantero 445
38. Thanquol's Doom C L Werner 408
39. Beasts in Velvet Jack Yeovil 286
40. The Scorpion Stephen D Sullivan 312
41. Apocalpyse of the Dead Joe Mckinney 503
42. Dreadnaught Jack Campbell 368
43. Dominion Bentley Little 416
44. Speaker for the Dead Orson Scott Card 382
45. Ghoul Brian Keene 341
46. To Sail a Darkling Sea John Ringo 516
47. Death's Legacy Sandy Mitchell 416
48. Death's Messenger Sandy Mitchell 416
49. Death's City Sandy Mitchell 416
50. The Heart of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412
51. The Blades of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412
52. The Claws of Chaos Gav Thorpe 280
53. Witch Hunter C L Werner 412
54. Witch Finder C L Werner 252
55. Witch Killer C L Werner 251
56. The Unicorn A. L. Lasieur 312
57. The Crane Ree Soesbee 312
58. The Phoenix Stephen D Sullivan 274
59. The Crab Stan Brown 277
60. The Dragon Ree Soesbee 276
61. The Lion Stephen D Sullivan 275
62. Flowers in the Attic Virginia Andrews 423
63. Dark Water Koji Suzuki 294
64. Empire of Salt Weston Ochse 317
65. Hungry Hearts Gary McMahon 309
66. Way of the Barefoot Zombie Jasper Bark 311
67. Stronghold Paul Finch 330
68. Ghost Story Peter Straub 567
69. Shadowland Peter Straub 468
70. Mutated Joe Mckinney 406
71. Ghost Walk Brian Keene 275

TBR Pile, piling up...

1. The Honourable Schoolboy - John Le Carré 606p
2. A murder of Quality - John Le Carré 157p
3. A perfect Spy - John Le Carré 604p
4. Westward the Tide - Louis L'Amour 288p
5. Stika - Louis L'Amour 312p
6. Guns of Timberlands - Louis L'Amour 195p
7. Cal for The Dead - John Le Carré 157p
8. Smiley's People - John Le Carré 398p
9. Under the Sweetwater Rim - Louis L'Amour 212p
10. The Quick and the Dead - Louis L'Amour 184pp
11. Showdown at Yellow Butte - Louis L'Amour 194p
12. The Rider of Lost Creek - Louis L'Amour 198p
13. The Mountain Valley War - Louis L'Amour 246p
14. Three Oaths - Josh Reynolds 330p
15. Victoria: A novel of 4th Generation War - Thomas Hobbes 584p
16. The King of the Spoils - 438p
17. The Martyr Tomb - Marc Collins (Limited Edition) - 420p
18. The Martyr Tomb - Marc Collins - 499p
19. Crusade - The Tyrannic War 150p
20. Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris 421p
21. The Tailor of PAnama - John Le Carré 360p
22. The Russia House - John Le Carré 453p
23. The Constant Gardener - John Le Carré 458p
24. The Leviathan - Darius Hinks (LE) 328
25. The Leviathan - Darius Hinks (HB) 309
26. The Devil's Flute Murders - Seishi Yokomizo 348p
27. Tucker - Louis L'Amour 215p
28. iron marshall  - Louis L'Amour 241p
29. dark canyon  - Louis L'Amour 163p
30. where the long grass blows  - Louis L'Amour 212p
31. conagher   - Louis L'Amour 175p
32. the high graders  - Louis L'Amour 214p
33. kilkenny - Louis L'Amour 225p
34. the sky-liners - Louis L'Amour 188p
35. the lonely men - Louis L'Amour 171p
36. lonely in the mountain - Louis L'Amour 194p
37. sackett's land - Louis L'Amour 185p
38. The Man from the Broken Hills - Louis L'Amour  280p
39. The Citadel of Forgotten Myths - Michael Moorcock 320p
40. Hanging woman creek - Louis L'Amour 194p
41. Milo Talon - Louis L'amour 257p
42. Ride the Dark Trail - Louis L'Amour
43. Lando - Louis L'Amour 155p
44. Crossfire Trail - Louis L'Amour 179p
45. Warhammer 40K 10th Edition 340p
46. Lords of Blood - Guy Haley 823p
47. Cypher Lord of the Fallen - John French 179p
48. Honourbound - Rachel Harrison (Limited Edition) 399p
    
    
49. Silence- Shusako Endo 212p
50. The Trail to Seven Pines - Louis Amour - 231p
51. Bird Box - Josh Malerman 475p
52. Children of Teclis - Evan Dicken 296p
53. The Soul Siphon - Tom Horth 129p
54. The Cursing of Summersong 155p
55. The Amethyst Stone 112p
56. Dawnbringer Book 1: Dawnbringer 78p
57. 
    The Traitor - Anthony Ryan 515p
58. Malorie - Josh Malerman 299p
59. Galloway - Louis L'Amour 159p
60. Jubal Sackett - Louis L'Amour 339p
61. Mustang Man - Louis L'Amour 189p
62. Boot Boys Of the Wolf Reich - David Agranoff 200p
63. A legacy of Spies - John LeCarré 353p
64. Return to Mars - Ben Bova 543p
65. Mars - Ben Bova 566p
66. Jupiter - Ben Bova  428p
67. Venus - Ben Bova 404p
    
68. Saturn - Ben Bova 434p
69. Brionne - Louis L'Amour 149p
70. The Riders of High Rock - Louis L'Amour 234p
71. The Rustlers of West Fork - Louis L'Amour 259p
72. A Small town in germany - John Le Carré 313p
73. Mojave Crossing - Louis L'Amour 151p
74. 
    Lemartes - DAvid Annadale (LE)
75. Implacable Alpha - W Michael Gear
76. The Alpha Enigma -  W Michael Gear
77. The Wolfe of Oren-Yaro - K S Viloso (Special Edition)
78. Horseman - Christina Henry

August Want To Read - Dreaming of Desirable Goals

Month of August reading goals. I am going on vacation for a week, no great worries so I bet I will get some free extra time to read. I decided, since I am not very keen of choosing big books of taking with me only two books. Both Over 700 pages. One is State of Fear by Michael Crichton with 712 pages and I am trying to decide between The Swarm - Frank Schatzing 880p or Lonesome Dove 845p

1. Tombs - Junji Ito  350p  ++++ Manga
2. Uma Aventura na Televisao  211p ++++ Portuguese 
3. Galaxy in Flames - Ben Counter 416p +++ 3/54 Horus Heresy
4. Funland - Richard Laymon 502p 
5. Promise of the WitchKing  - RA Salvatore 373p +++ 2th of 3 of Sellswords Series
6. The Resort - Bentley Little 390p ++++ reread 
7. Icehenge - Kim Stanley Robinson 262p
8. The Ice Schooner - Michael Moorcock 207p
9. Shadows of the Empire - Steve Perry 385p
10. Slugs - Shaun Hutson 208p
11. Meddling Kids - Edgar Cantero 445
12. Michael Crichton - State of Fear 712p
1. Lonesome Dove 845p
2. The Swarm  880p

So, my goal is to read 4461 plus either 845p or 880p. So over 5300 pages? Probably not. But who knows. I got some fast paced books chosen....

You can see behind three novels that didn't make my reading list for this month and some I've finished

 So this was my list of books to read 6/62 done.

1. Slugs Shaun Hutson 208 1982
2. Ghost Story Peter Straub 567 1979
3. Shadowland Peter Straub 468 1980
4. Mutated Joe Mckinney 406 2012
5. Apocalpyse of the Dead Joe Mckinney 503 2010
6. Dreadnaught Jack Campbell 368 2011
7. Road of the Patriarch R A Salvatore 375 2007
8. Promise of the Witch-King R A Salvatore 373 2005
9. Elephants can Remember Agatha Christie 299 1972
10. Third Girl Agatha Christie 365 1966
11. Curtain - Poirot's Last Case Agatha Christie 284 1975
12. Ghoul Brian Keene 341 2007
13. Darth Plagueis James Luceno 481 2012
14. Shadows of the Empire Steve Perry  385 1996
15. Tales from the Empire Anthology 324 1997
16. Funland Richard Laymon 500 1989
17. The Stake Richard Laymon 506 1990
18. Darkness Tell Us Richard Laymon 504 1991
19. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195 1994
20. Dark Nocturne Hideyuki Kikuchi 204 1992
21. Pale Fallen Angel Part one and two Hideyuki Kikuchi 299 1994
22. Pale Fallen Angel Part three and four Hideyuki Kikuchi 290 1995
23. Deep Fathom James Rollins 581 2001
24. Annihilation Squad Gav Thorpe 412 2004
25. Pet Sematary Stephen King 465 1988
26. The Ruins Scott Smith 524 2006
27. Dominion Bentley Little 416 1996
28. Speaker for the Dead Orson Scott Card 382 1986
29. Ghost Walk Brian Keene 275 2008
30. Thanquol's Doom C L Werner 408 2011
31. Beasts in Velvet Jack Yeovil 286 1993
32. Death's Legacy Sandy Mitchell 416 2006
33. Death's Messenger Sandy Mitchell 416 2005
34. Death's City Sandy Mitchell 416 2005
35. The Heart of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412 2004
36. The Blades of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412 2003
37. The Claws of Chaos Gav Thorpe 280 2002
38. Witch Hunter C L Werner 412 2004
39. Witch Finder C L Werner 252 2005
40. Witch Killer C L Werner 251 2006
41. The Scorpion Stephen D Sullivan 312 2000
42. The Unicorn A. L. Lasieur 312 2000
43. The Crane Ree Soesbee 312 2000
44. The Phoenix Stephen D Sullivan 274 2001
45. The Crab Stan Brown 277 2001
46. The Dragon Ree Soesbee 276 2001
47. The Lion Stephen D Sullivan 275 2001
48. The Devoured and the Dead Kristopher Ruffy 244 2021
49. Last of the Ravagers Bryan Smith 256 2022
50. One Conrad Williams 363 2009
51. Flowers in the Attic Virginia Andrews 423 1979
52. Crowfall Ed McDonald 454 2019
53. Ravencry Ed McDonald 414 2018
54. Dark Water Koji Suzuki 294 1996
55. In The Coils of the Labyrinth David Annandale 346 2022
56. Secrets Scarlets Anthology 347 2022
57. Lair of the Crystal Fang S. A. Sidor 363 2022
58. The Deadly Grimoire Rosemary Jones 344 2022
59. Empire of Salt Weston Ochse 317 2010
60. Hungry Hearts Gary McMahon 309 2009
61. Way of the Barefoot Zombie Jasper Bark 311 2009
62. Stronghold Paul Finch 330 2010

Let's go!

29/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

This has been a good month to be honest. I am struggling a bit about my reading objectives. I've noticed that very rarely I don't choose to read long novels... maybe because I want to read "more" instead of "bigger" books. It's something that is worrying me... I may end up ending all of my objectives. Instead of novels written, the pages count makes more sense, after all I can read 10x100 or 1x1000 and in the end it's the same. OH well.. until I figure out what to do let's hope I can finish all my allotted novels...

Already Finish

1. The Snake-Man's Bane Howie K Bentley 138p (1/7)
2. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195p (3/7)
3. Prophecy David Seltzer 247p (6/7)
4. Third Girl Agatha Christie 365p (11/7)
5. Beneath the Dark Ice - Greig Beck 410p (14/7) Audiobook
6. Scythe Neal Shusterman                  442p       (15/7)
7. Black Paradox - Junji Ito                         208p      (15/7)
8. One        Conrad Williams                        363p     (20/7)
9. The Last Hunt - Robbie MacNiven           416p      (21/7)

Ongoing

1. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan           164/705pp (23%)
2. Return of the Sword Anthology 48/327 (14%)
3. The Abstainer    Ian McGuire                203/368 (55%)
4. Pet Sematary     Stephen King                105/576 (18%)
5. Fracture Event Kathleen & Michael Gear  161/315 (51%) Audiobook

TBR next six months

1. Scythe Neal Shusterman 445
2. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195
3. Prophecy David Seltzer 247
4. Third Girl Agatha Christie 365
5. Funland Richard Laymon 500
6. Deep Fathom James Rollins 581
7. One Conrad Williams 363
8. Pet Sematary Stephen King 465
9. Promise of the Witch-King R A Salvatore 373
10. Galaxy In Flames Ben Counter 408
11. Annihilation Squad Gav Thorpe 412
12. Thunder Head Neal Shusterman 515
13. The  Toll Neal Shusterman 631
14. The Body Snatchers Jack Finney 230
15. The Sailor on the Sea of Fates Michael Moorcock 128
16. The Weird of the White Wolf Michael Moorcock 113
17. Slugs Shaun Hutson 208
18. Dark Nocturne Hideyuki Kikuchi 204
19. Pale Fallen Angel Part one and two Hideyuki Kikuchi 299
20. Pale Fallen Angel Part three and four Hideyuki Kikuchi 290
21. The Stake Richard Laymon 506
22. Darkness Tell Us Richard Laymon 504
23. Road of the Patriarch R A Salvatore 375
24. Elephants can Remember Agatha Christie 299
25. Curtain - Poirot's Last Case Agatha Christie 284
26. Darth Plagueis James Luceno 481
27. Shadows of the Empire Steve Perry  385
28. The Devoured and the Dead Kristopher Ruffy 244
29. Last of the Ravagers Bryan Smith 256
30. The Ruins Scott Smith 524
31. In The Coils of the Labyrinth David Annandale 346
32. Shadows of Pnath Josh Reynolds 331
33. Lair of the Crystal Fang S. A. Sidor 363
34. The Deadly Grimoire Rosemary Jones 344
35. Crowfall Ed McDonald 454
36. Ravencry Ed McDonald 414
37. Meddling Kids Edgar Cantero 445
38. Thanquol's Doom C L Werner 408
39. Beasts in Velvet Jack Yeovil 286
40. The Scorpion Stephen D Sullivan 312
41. Apocalpyse of the Dead Joe Mckinney 503
42. Dreadnaught Jack Campbell 368
43. Dominion Bentley Little 416
44. Speaker for the Dead Orson Scott Card 382
45. Ghoul Brian Keene 341
46. To Sail a Darkling Sea John Ringo 516
47. Death's Legacy Sandy Mitchell 416
48. Death's Messenger Sandy Mitchell 416
49. Death's City Sandy Mitchell 416
50. The Heart of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412
51. The Blades of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412
52. The Claws of Chaos Gav Thorpe 280
53. Witch Hunter C L Werner 412
54. Witch Finder C L Werner 252
55. Witch Killer C L Werner 251
56. The Unicorn A. L. Lasieur 312
57. The Crane Ree Soesbee 312
58. The Phoenix Stephen D Sullivan 274
59. The Crab Stan Brown 277
60. The Dragon Ree Soesbee 276
61. The Lion Stephen D Sullivan 275
62. Flowers in the Attic Virginia Andrews 423
63. Dark Water Koji Suzuki 294
64. Empire of Salt Weston Ochse 317
65. Hungry Hearts Gary McMahon 309
66. Way of the Barefoot Zombie Jasper Bark 311
67. Stronghold Paul Finch 330
68. Ghost Story Peter Straub 567
69. Shadowland Peter Straub 468
70. Mutated Joe Mckinney 406
71. Ghost Walk Brian Keene 275

TBR Pile, piling up...

1. The Honourable Schoolboy - John Le Carré 606p
2. A murder of Quality - John Le Carré 157p
3. A perfect Spy - John Le Carré 604p
4. Westward the Tide - Louis L'Amour 288p
5. Stika - Louis L'Amour 312p
6. Guns of Timberlands - Louis L'Amour 195p
7. Cal for The Dead - John Le Carré 157p
8. Smiley's People - John Le Carré 398p
9. Under the Sweetwater Rim - Louis L'Amour 212p
10. The Quick and the Dead - Louis L'Amour 184pp
11. Showdown at Yellow Butte - Louis L'Amour 194p
12. The Rider of Lost Creek - Louis L'Amour 198p
13. The Mountain Valley War - Louis L'Amour 246p
14. Three Oaths - Josh Reynolds 330p
15. Victoria: A novel of 4th Generation War - Thomas Hobbes 584p
16. The King of the Spoils - 438p
17. The Martyr Tomb - Marc Collins (Limited Edition) - 420p
18. The Martyr Tomb - Marc Collins - 499p
19. Crusade - The Tyrannic War 150p
20. Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris 421p
21. The Tailor of PAnama - John Le Carré 360p
22. The Russia House - John Le Carré 453p
23. The Constant Gardener - John Le Carré 458p
24. The Leviathan - Darius Hinks (LE) 328
25. The Leviathan - Darius Hinks (HB) 309
26. The Devil's Flute Murders - Seishi Yokomizo 348p
27. Tucker - Louis L'Amour 215p
28. iron marshall  - Louis L'Amour 241p
29. dark canyon  - Louis L'Amour 163p
30. where the long grass blows  - Louis L'Amour 212p
31. conagher   - Louis L'Amour 175p
32. the high graders  - Louis L'Amour 214p
33. kilkenny - Louis L'Amour 225p
34. the sky-liners - Louis L'Amour 188p
35. the lonely men - Louis L'Amour 171p
36. lonely in the mountain - Louis L'Amour 194p
37. sackett's land - Louis L'Amour 185p
38. The Man from the Broken Hills - Louis L'Amour  280p
39. 
    The Citadel of Forgotten Myths - Michael Moorcock 320p
40. Hanging woman creek - Louis L'Amour 194p
41. Milo Talon - Louis L'amour 257p
42. Ride the Dark Trail - Louis L'Amour
43. Lando - Louis L'Amour 155p
44. Crossfire Trail - Louis L'Amour 179p
45. Warhammer 40K 10th Edition 340p
    
46. Lords of Blood - Guy Haley 823p
47. Cypher Lord of the Fallen - John French 179p
48. Honourbound - Rachel Harrison (Limited Edition) 399p

Book Review: Dissolving Classroom - Junji Ito

So, another Junji Ito book read. They keep publishing and I keep reading. I think I have yet to read 4 out of 20 (?) of his novels. They all sit very nicely on the shelves, all hardcovers - except this one.

The Hardcover edition costs around 25€ and this one was 11€. So, I went for it.

This was a very interesting read of interconnected stories all in the same world/characters. Basically we've got this family (the ones in the cover) of a boy and his young sister. His sister goes around the neighbour scaring people , doing all kind of stupid things and his brother just apologies profoundly.

The problem is, not everything is at it seems.

It starts with dissolving classroom, then beauty and then apartment and finally some stories that give some background to the characters. It's short but it was fun, spooky tale. I think I become a bit sanitized against horror after watching so much. I really enjoy all of the stories and how they were told (chronologic order) and the ending was also very good. Nice characterization and flow... although some of stuff was a bit inconsistent. Like some people only took a couple of minutes others days..

Overall very good story by master horror mangaka.

Book Review: The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Vol. 5 (light novel) by Saekisan

After watching the anime I wanted to know what was going to happen to Mahiru & Amane. Didn't want to wait for a new anime so I bought book 5.

Book 5 follows the story as they
are a couple and the only reason you know they are a couple it's because everyone says so and they say so. They didn't change anythnig, almost anything and basically no extra steps were given. Amane turns out to be a possessive boyfriend, scary cat and afraid to take extra steps. First of all he doesn'ts let Mahiru dress the way she wants, when she boughts a swimming suit. He complains and she has to wear a jacket or else the other people will see her. Then the all nakenedess stuff, even the small glimpse of cleavage is too much for him. Kisses? What is that? No no... we are dating for weeks, probably months but no kissing. So how can you consider yourself a couple? Couple is more than holding hands. Amane wants to get stuff done slow... so slow to non-existent steps... It's absurd. And Mahiru sure looks like she just accepts him, my god she even hints that maybe some stuff must be quicker? Amane says no no ... are you a nun?

I learn that sleeping the same bed (Amane's parents do) is seen as progressive because some sleep in separate beds (maybe sleeping together will help increase your birthrate?) . Japan is a strange place.. I've read only 40% of couples sleep on the same bed. If that's due to size of the house I understand but apart from that makes no sense. Japan in one hand has this books and animes that makes men idiots that the thought of kissing a girl or seeing a cleavage makes them nosebleed and then they have hentai with squid and rape and so on.. is a place of contradictions and contrasts and I love it for it. It upsets me to see this couples, with 15/18 that don't know how to behave. I read a study that said that 30% of people under 25 never had a boyfriend/girlfriend and around 50% didn't had sex. Then they have of biggest adult industries in the world.... Maybe that's also hindering their sex and couple life? They are so worried with work, school that hentai/av porn substitutes a meaningless relation. It's a s shame Japan is following this path... They should do more romance anime where people are not afraid of showing their feelings - I don't mean doing hentai. I mean romances with actual romance... maybe that would help young teens to have more children ( not as teens of course)

I was disappointed. I thought this would be better than the anime which is an adaptation but alas it was not.

I rate this 4/10. I will not be following the book releases.

Book Review: The Snake Man's-Bane by Howie K. Bentley

 This is a compilation of short stories (novelettes) that stand on their own but overall they are all connected with some characters/places.

While one story is set in roman Britain, other is set in somekind of pseudo-norway, while other is set britain saxon time. Basically all of this stories are set in a quasis-mythical europe. One story we follow the daughter of boudiacae (The famous warrior-leader of the iceni).

Although I think this is very much like old sword and sorcery it feeds even more from Moorcock Eternal Champion since we've got this character that possesses other characters and do extra-normal stuff.

If you love DMR books of sword and sorcery , REH or Moorcock you will enjoy this tales. If you do not enjoy, well look elsewhere. 7/10 because even if they are pastiches I was hoping for more. This character Thorn although interesting was a bit of a deus-ex-machina and I couldn't really connect with him.

Book Review: Black Paradox - Junji Ito (Manga)

Do you know Junji Ito? Then you know what to expect from him. IT's weird and it's good and fun. The only difference here comparing with other of his novels (apart from a couple ones) is that we follow 4 characters and their weird experiences after trying to kill themselves and... failing miserable.

They open portals within their own bodies to another weird world... As the story progress you get to learn more of the world beyond, of the characters and start to connect with them. It was a very interesting voyage. The last two chapters were very powerful because we learn a lot about the world and what it means...

It's a mix of X-Files, Stranger Things & Black Mirror. IT's one of the best entry points with this Junji Ito world.

Book Review: Scythe (Arc of a Scythe#1) by Neal Shusterman

This was an interesting read. I don't enjoy YA due to the tropes but this one "fail" on that regard which I loved. We follow two characters - two apprentices of being Scythes. Well so what are they?

Well we are on Earth in the future where we've erradicated Death. We are finally immortal. We live and grow old and then go back to being young again. (I've got a lot of questions regarding this) because we've invented a AI that controls our daily live. Since everything is controlled people just have to live, work , do whatever they want and repeat. Unfortunately we still want children and with the enormous stress of over population a group of people called the Scythe exist on Earth and they basically go around killing/gleaming people. Some have some codes, some try to be a bit statistically, some are just mentally disturbed and like killing. They exist, they have rules and people try to live their lives until the day they are gleamed off.

So we've got two young teens who due to some interesting circustances start to be apprentices of Scythe Faraday. There is a politics, interesting views on society, on killing, on relations etc. Everything is okay and apart from some strange things I loved the book...

Let me try to explain what I didn't enjoy or didn't find explaining sufficient

- Why the AI (thunderhead) don't interact with Scythes

- why the scythes are all powerful and nobody really do nothing when some of them are really monsters

- why space traveling was "discontinued"

- why erasing death but replacing with gleaming; wouldn't be more interesting just stop with diseases but leaving death "on"?

- why Faraday choose two scythe apprentices when that was never done?

- why almost every kind of death is sur-passable but not fire? so if you drop yourself from a 100 floor building didn't kill you but fire did?

There are other questions but alas my mind is a bit foggy.

Reading this I have a theory and conviction.. being immortal we become complacent, boring & lack of interest to innovate since we have all the time in the world. That's how I see elves... how come they don't overcome every humans in every art they do? because the danger the fear of death is important to value time and to discover new things... if we already live forever, why rushing? Having said that I would love to live a bit more (double what we live now)

Overall it was good and I will be reading the next two in the next months... I don't want to read back to back. 8,5/10

28/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

 So this is the first week of the month... I don't have a goal of reading books per se but my goal is to read those 71 novels by the end of the year. So around 10  per month?

Already Finish

1. The Snake-Man's Bane Howie K Bentley 138p (1/7)
2. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195p (3/7)
3. Prophecy David Seltzer 247p (6/7)
4. Third Girl Agatha Christie 365p (11/7)
5. Beneath the Dark Ice - Greig Beck 410p (14/7) Audiobook

Ongoing

1. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan        164/705pp (23%)
2. Return of the Sword Anthology 48/327 (14%)
3. The Last Hunt - Robbie MacNiven 233/416p (54%)
4. The Abstainer    Ian McGuire         110/368 (30%)
5. Scythe Neal Shusterman 315/442 (70%)
6. Black Paradox - Junji Ito 91/208 (44%)

TBR next six months

1. Scythe Neal Shusterman 445
2. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195
3. Prophecy David Seltzer 247
4. Third Girl Agatha Christie 365
5. Funland Richard Laymon 500
6. Deep Fathom James Rollins 581
7. One Conrad Williams 363
8. Pet Sematary Stephen King 465
9. Promise of the Witch-King R A Salvatore 373
10. Galaxy In Flames Ben Counter 408
11. Annihilation Squad Gav Thorpe 412
12. Thunder Head Neal Shusterman 515
13. The  Toll Neal Shusterman 631
14. The Body Snatchers Jack Finney 230
15. The Sailor on the Sea of Fates Michael Moorcock 128
16. The Weird of the White Wolf Michael Moorcock 113
17. Slugs Shaun Hutson 208
18. Dark Nocturne Hideyuki Kikuchi 204
19. Pale Fallen Angel Part one and two Hideyuki Kikuchi 299
20. Pale Fallen Angel Part three and four Hideyuki Kikuchi 290
21. The Stake Richard Laymon 506
22. Darkness Tell Us Richard Laymon 504
23. Road of the Patriarch R A Salvatore 375
24. Elephants can Remember Agatha Christie 299
25. Curtain - Poirot's Last Case Agatha Christie 284
26. Darth Plagueis James Luceno 481
27. Shadows of the Empire Steve Perry  385
28. The Devoured and the Dead Kristopher Ruffy 244
29. Last of the Ravagers Bryan Smith 256
30. The Ruins Scott Smith 524
31. In The Coils of the Labyrinth David Annandale 346
32. Shadows of Pnath Josh Reynolds 331
33. Lair of the Crystal Fang S. A. Sidor 363
34. The Deadly Grimoire Rosemary Jones 344
35. Crowfall Ed McDonald 454
36. Ravencry Ed McDonald 414
37. Meddling Kids Edgar Cantero 445
38. Thanquol's Doom C L Werner 408
39. Beasts in Velvet Jack Yeovil 286
40. The Scorpion Stephen D Sullivan 312
41. Apocalpyse of the Dead Joe Mckinney 503
42. Dreadnaught Jack Campbell 368
43. Dominion Bentley Little 416
44. Speaker for the Dead Orson Scott Card 382
45. Ghoul Brian Keene 341
46. To Sail a Darkling Sea John Ringo 516
47. Death's Legacy Sandy Mitchell 416
48. Death's Messenger Sandy Mitchell 416
49. Death's City Sandy Mitchell 416
50. The Heart of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412
51. The Blades of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412
52. The Claws of Chaos Gav Thorpe 280
53. Witch Hunter C L Werner 412
54. Witch Finder C L Werner 252
55. Witch Killer C L Werner 251
56. The Unicorn A. L. Lasieur 312
57. The Crane Ree Soesbee 312
58. The Phoenix Stephen D Sullivan 274
59. The Crab Stan Brown 277
60. The Dragon Ree Soesbee 276
61. The Lion Stephen D Sullivan 275
62. Flowers in the Attic Virginia Andrews 423
63. Dark Water Koji Suzuki 294
64. Empire of Salt Weston Ochse 317
65. Hungry Hearts Gary McMahon 309
66. Way of the Barefoot Zombie Jasper Bark 311
67. Stronghold Paul Finch 330
68. Ghost Story Peter Straub 567
69. Shadowland Peter Straub 468
70. Mutated Joe Mckinney 406
71. Ghost Walk Brian Keene 275

TBR Pile, piling up...

1. The Honourable Schoolboy - John Le Carré 606p
2. A murder of Quality - John Le Carré 157p
3. A perfect Spy - John Le Carré 604p
4. Westward the Tide - Louis L'Amour 288p
5. Stika - Louis L'Amour 312p
6. Guns of Timberlands - Louis L'Amour 195p
7. Cal for The Dead - John Le Carré 157p
8. Smiley's People - John Le Carré 398p
9. Under the Sweetwater Rim - Louis L'Amour 212p
10. The Quick and the Dead - Louis L'Amour 184pp
11. Showdown at Yellow Butte - Louis L'Amour 194p
12. The Rider of Lost Creek - Louis L'Amour 198p
13. The Mountain Valley War - Louis L'Amour 246p
14. Three Oaths - Josh Reynolds 330p
15. Victoria: A novel of 4th Generation War - Thomas Hobbes 584p
16. The King of the Spoils - 438p
17. The Martyr Tomb - Marc Collins (Limited Edition) - 420p
18. The Martyr Tomb - Marc Collins - 499p
19. Crusade - The Tyrannic War 150p
    
    
    
20. Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris 421p
21. The Tailor of PAnama - John Le Carré 360p
22. The Russia House - John Le Carré 453p
23. The Constant Gardener - John Le Carré 458p
    
    
24. The Leviathan - Darius Hinks (LE) 328
25. The Leviathan - Darius Hinks (HB) 309
26. The Devil's Flute Murders - Seishi Yokomizo 348p
27. Tucker - Louis L'Amour 215p
28. iron marshall  - Louis L'Amour 241p
29. dark canyon  - Louis L'Amour 163p
30. where the long grass blows  - Louis L'Amour 212p
31. Conagher   - Louis L'Amour 175p
32. The high graders  - Louis L'Amour 214p
33. kilkenny - Louis L'Amour 225p
34. the sky-liners - Louis L'Amour 188p
35. the lonely men - Louis L'Amour 171p
36. lonely in the mountain - Louis L'Amour 194p
37. sackett's land - Louis L'Amour 185p
38. The Man from the Broken Hills - Louis L'Amour  280p

27/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

So this is the first week of the month... I don't have a goal of reading books per se but my goal is to read those 71 novels by the end of the year. So around 10  per month?

Already Finish

1. The Snake-Man's Bane Howie K Bentley 138p (1/7)
2. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195p (3/7)
3. Prophecy David Seltzer 247p (6/7)

Ongoing

1. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan        164/705pp (23%)
2. The Last Hunt - Robbie MacNiven 220/416p (51%)
3. Return of the Sword Anthology 48/327 (14%)
4. Third Girl Agatha Christie 97/365 (31%)
5. The Abstainer    Ian McGuire         53/368 (14%)

TBR next six months

1. Scythe Neal Shusterman 445
2. Thunder Head Neal Shusterman 515
3. The  Toll Neal Shusterman 631
4. The Body Snatchers Jack Finney 230
5. The Sailor on the Sea of Fates Michael Moorcock 128
6. The Weird of the White Wolf Michael Moorcock 113
7. Slugs Shaun Hutson 208
8. The Rose Princess Hideyuki Kikuchi 195
9. Dark Nocturne Hideyuki Kikuchi 204
10. Pale Fallen Angel Part one and two Hideyuki Kikuchi 299
11. Pale Fallen Angel Part three and four Hideyuki Kikuchi 290
12. Funland Richard Laymon 500
13. The Stake Richard Laymon 506
14. Darkness Tell Us Richard Laymon 504
15. Deep Fathom James Rollins 581
16. Prophecy David Seltzer 247
17. Road of the Patriarch R A Salvatore 375
18. Promise of the Witch-King R A Salvatore 373
19. Third Girl Agatha Christie 365
20. Elephants can Remember Agatha Christie 299
21. Curtain - Poirot's Last Case Agatha Christie 284
22. Darth Plagueis James Luceno 481
23. Shadows of the Empire Steve Perry 385
24. Pet Sematary Stephen King 465
25. The Devoured and the Dead Kristopher Ruffy 244
26. Last of the Ravagers Bryan Smith 256
27. One Conrad Williams 363
28. The Ruins Scott Smith 524
29. In The Coils of the Labyrinth David Annandale 346
30. Shadows of Pnath Josh Reynolds 331
31. Lair of the Crystal Fang S. A. Sidor 363
32. The Deadly Grimoire Rosemary Jones 344
33. Crowfall Ed McDonald 454
34. Ravencry Ed McDonald 414
35. Meddling Kids Edgar Cantero 445
36. Thanquol's Doom C L Werner 408
37. Beasts in Velvet Jack Yeovil 286
38. The Scorpion Stephen D Sullivan 312
39. Apocalpyse of the Dead Joe Mckinney 503
40. Dreadnaught Jack Campbell 368
41. Annihilation Squad Gav Thorpe 412
42. Dominion Bentley Little 416
43. Speaker for the Dead Orson Scott Card 382
44. Galaxy In Flames Ben Counter 408
45. Ghoul Brian Keene 341
46. To Sail a Darkling Sea John Ringo 516
47. Death's Legacy Sandy Mitchell 416
48. Death's Messenger Sandy Mitchell 416
49. Death's City Sandy Mitchell 416
50. The Heart of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412
51. The Blades of Chaos Gav Thorpe 412
52. The Claws of Chaos Gav Thorpe 280
53. Witch Hunter C L Werner 412
54. Witch Finder C L Werner 252
55. Witch Killer C L Werner 251
56. The Unicorn A. L. Lasieur 312
57. The Crane Ree Soesbee 312
58. The Phoenix Stephen D Sullivan 274
59. The Crab Stan Brown 277
60. The Dragon Ree Soesbee 276
61. The Lion Stephen D Sullivan 275
62. Flowers in the Attic Virginia Andrews 423
63. Dark Water Koji Suzuki 294
64. Empire of Salt Weston Ochse 317
65. Hungry Hearts Gary McMahon 309
66. Way of the Barefoot Zombie Jasper Bark 311
67. Stronghold Paul Finch 330
68. Ghost Story Peter Straub 567
69. Shadowland Peter Straub 468
70. Mutated Joe Mckinney 406
71. Ghost Walk Brian Keene 275

TBR Pile, piling up...

1. The Honourable Schoolboy - John Le Carré 606p
2. A murder of Quality - John Le Carré 157p
3. A perfect Spy - John Le Carré 604p
4. Westward the Tide - Louis L'Amour 288p
5. Stika - Louis L'Amour 312p
6. Guns of Timberlands - Louis L'Amour 195p
7. 
   Cal for The Dead - John Le Carré 157p
8. Smiley's People - John Le Carré 398p
9. Under the Sweetwater Rim - Louis L'Amour 212p
10. The Quick and the Dead - Louis L'Amour 184pp
11. Showdown at Yellow Butte - Louis L'Amour 194p
12. 
    The Rider of Lost Creek - Louis L'Amour 198p
13. The Mountain Valley War - Louis L'Amour 246p
14. 
    Three Oaths - Josh Reynolds 330p
15. Victoria: A novel of 4th Generation War - Thomas Hobbes 584p
16. The King of the Spoils - 438p
17. The Martyr Tomb - Marc Collins (Limited Edition) - 420p
18. The Martyr Tomb - Marc Collins - 499p
19. Crusade - The Tyrannic War 150p