R. Rose's Reading Diary

Finally finished the book club book for the month, Birthright by Nora Roberts. I honestly had a blast with this one. You get a nice little bit who dunnit, a couple of well developed romances, and plenty of soapy twists and turns. This was at a period when Nora Roberts was really coming into her own, and you could feel her getting a better grasp of her pacing. The story follows several characters connected to a controversial archeological dig in a small New England town. While the back of the book would make you think that the dig was the central focus, the true focus is very different. I kind of don't want to spoil it here, as. I liked not really knowing the full plot as I went into it. Made the reveals more fun.  It isn't perfect, with some lag towards the end where things should be ramping up. I had a similar problem with Sanctuary , which was a slightly earlier book. When we are supposed to be getting into the swing of things things would screech to a halt for a misplaced lo...

 The thing I didn't want to have happen of course happened. I hit a reading slump. Something in my brain just clicked off and said, nope. Don't know what it is, or why, but it hit and it hit hard. Hence me not posting a lot on my reading diary.  I am slowly making my way through my office book club book, Birthright  by Nora Roberts. I can tell you that one is good just for that fact that not even my slump has kept me from enjoying it! It was 100% not the book I thought it was going to be, but I am enjoying the heck out of the book it is turning in to. This book feels like it came out when Nora Roberts was really hitting her stride. I think it came out either right before or after Midnight Bayou. I adore that book (and the TV movie), and feel like she was finding a good balance in her writing style there. Especially compared to something like Sanctuary , which was a fun thriller, but lacked the balance between the love scenes and moving the plot along. Birthright  is ...

  Gyo  is not Ito's best work, but it is one of his most interesting. While most of his stories are surreal and dread filled, Gyo is a full on creature feature. It hits differently than a lot of his stuff, while still keeping with his wonderful, creepy visuals.  The plot is straight out of a SyFy original movie, with robotic legged fish coming from the ocean and invading the land. You have a whole bevy of killer sea creatures on robotic legs, a virus that has some very nasty side effects, and even a mad scientist. This one is like Ito is playing out a love for B-movies that you don't see in some of his better loved works like Uzumaki. The closest I can think of in comparison is Remina  maybe? Gyo kind of got buried when it first got released. Uzumaki  had made such a splash, but when Gyo  hit, it was so different that I remember critics not being as warm to it. It didn't get bad reviews by any means, but it for sure was considered lesser than. I guess it is...

I am a big horror nut, and that includes the books I read. So, when Paperbacks from Hell came out, I of course started snapping up any old school paperbacks I could find. If it was sold on wire rack in a grocery store, I wanted it. One of the authors I had a really hard time finding books for was Ruby Jean Jensen.  She was a prolific horror paperback writer, starting out doing gothic romance, she shifted to horror and ended up doing most of her work for Zebra in the 1980's and 1990's. Her book covers were typical Zebra, with creepy dolls, kids and more skeletons than you can shake a stick at. The books themselves weren't groundbreaking, but she sold well enough to create her own little cult audience. By the time I was even aware of her existence most of her books were long since out of print, with Zebra's horror line shutting down in 1996. With the publication of Paperbacks from Hell  her books, and the books of many other similar authors, went from being easy used book...

I had picked up the first volume of this series almost a year ago when I was back home visiting family. I got volume 2 pretty quickly after that, and then I sat on reading the last volume for way too long. I think I have a problem with finishing series. Like, my brain just doesn't want them to be over. So, I pushed back whatever is going on in in my skull, and I finally got around to finishing this little three volume comedy series. I don't know why it took me so long to pick up volume 3, but I am so glad I did.  The basic premise of My Dad's the Queen of All VTubers?! is that a high school student finds out that his dad is secretly a super popular "female" VTuber. One that he himself had been obsessed with. Once that cat is out of the bag hijinks ensue as everyone is pulled into the wild world of being a VTuber.  The series is mostly a series of comical sketches with very little over all narrative moving from chapter to chapter. I think the sitcom approach works ...

 This is going to be a much smaller manga batch, as I have been juggling a little more this week so I haven't been able to read as much.   I did read The Strange House  vol. 2, and I am fricken loving this series so far. I'm kind of sad that I can't find the movie in English anywhere, but that also means I won't have the story spoiled for me. The first volume was a lot of the characters speculating about what could have happened. The second volume starts to introduce some solid facts into the story. This is a pretty small story, with really only three main characters, and the books just fly by. I cannot recommend this one enough for someone looking for a decent horror manga!  I also revisited a series I haven't read in years. I checked out Case Closed vol. 23. I binged the first 22 volumes one summer probably ten years ago. Reading that much Case Closed  back to back was a bad idea, as the series can start to feel repetitive. After a long break, though, I w...

 I was the one who had to put books up for a vote for March, so I went with a theme. Trash with a Capital T. I wanted books that the people I went to college with would look down on. Nora Roberts won out this time, and let me tell you, she is someone who got a good deal of hate back when I was studying Fiction Writing back in the early 2000's.  Now that I have read several books from her both as Nora Roberts and as J.D. Robb, I don't fully understand the hate. I actually don't get it at all. Is she the most amazing word smith to ever grace the printed page? No. Are her books entertaining and engrossing? Yes. In the grand scheme of things I would rather read a book that engages me than something that is intentionally impenetrable because... smart? I don't mean this to sound anti-intellectual. I have read many books that people would consider serious literature and loved them. I also found them engaging and thought-provoking. Beloved by Toni Morrison is a stunningly beaut...

 I am guessing that most people are mood readers. You read what feels right to you at the moment. Like, for me currently, I am on a manga kick because that is what is giving my brain joy. That may switch to romance novels next month, or maybe 90's horror paperbacks.  I cannot force myself to stick to a specific kind of schedule when it comes to reading, because if I am not feeling it at that moment I cannot force myself to finish the book. I used to try. I used to torture myself over not being able to to complete books that really just were not for me. Then I realized that I only have so much free time, and I need to be okay with not wasting it on something that is making me grind my teeth.  I have, for a while, considered doing a book related YouTube channel. I ended up deciding against that because, for a channel like that to work you need to at least occasionally read some of the books that are popular at the time. Currently fantasy romance is the big trend, and while ...

 I sometimes check out the Fear Street subreddit, and I have noticed a few posts where people have been complaining about the liberties taken with the movies that have been made over the last couple of years. These posts are pretty fiery, and really want the creators of these films to stick to the original books.  Here's the thing...  That would be a TERRIBLE idea.  This is coming from someone who loves the original Fear Street books. Those books are fun, but they are thin when it comes to plot, action and characters. They were restricted by what could be done in a YA book at the time they were written, and for a large chunk of them they were pretty much written to a template. While reading them today gives me a nostalgic thrill, I would not call these books well written. The most recent film, a loose adaptation of the book The Prom Queen  is apparently taking a lot of liberties with the source material. After re-reading the book not that long ago, I can underst...

 So, I recently took some time off work, and part of relaxing was digging into my TBR pile.  In that TBR pile was a crap ton of manga! Considering how quick most manga reads, I decided to take a chunk out of that portion of my TBR.  Most of these series are new to me, so I was happy to finally get a chance to check some of them out.  Out of the four I am going to be talking about, all of them were pretty solid four star reads.  First up was The Strange House vol. 1 by Uketsu and Kyo Ano.  I was urning for some horror manga, and had kind of tapped out my supply of Junji Ito, so this one hit the spot. Very heavy on the atmosphere, this one sets up a pretty interesting mystery in the first volume. While there is definitely a lot more talk than action here, the well paced dialogue, and interesting art keep things interesting. While there was a bit of gore here and there, creeping dread was the name of the game in The Strange House . I flew through this one...

Thought it would be a good idea to update my reading goals and challenges.  I did make progress on one of my goals, which is completing the Marmalade Boy  series. I finished volume 4 over the weekend. I only have 1 volume left to go there.  Also, I am changing my overall reading number, as I have been on a manga kick lately, and those tend to read very fast for me.  Not much else has changed just yet, as most of what I read over the weekend was manga. Will probably do a round up on all the titles I read at some point in the near future.  Goal One: Read at least two fantasy books this year Progress: 0 out of 2 books read Goal Two: Read the "Vivid Girl" books Progress: 1 out of 4 books read Goal Three: Read at least one classic novel Progress: 0 out of 1 books read Goal Four: Finish A Manga Series-  Marmalade Boy Progress: 4 out of 5 books read Overall Progress: 11 out of 40 books read

 I gave this book a real chance. I did, but I just could not force myself to endure this book anymore. I (and several people in the book club, actually) had to call this one as DOA, and I DNF'ed Pride & Prejudice & Zombies .  I think I would have struggled with the original version of Pride & Prejudice as well, but the added material not only didn't add much to the story, it also made several of the characters very unlikable. Elizabeth especially. Her reactions to everything were so outsized that it moved from comical to insufferable very quickly. Any perceived slight to her as a warrior meant that she was going to have to slit someone's throat. It took a character who, in the original, I have been told is just very strong willed and closed off due to a character who is a complete and total impenetrable wall. It doesn't help that almost every conversation in this book forces in a mention of "the deadly arts" and "when training with their maste...

 As gross as the base idea of Wedding Peach initial felt to me, I was surprised at how much I appreciated the simple quest for cuteness that Wedding Peach turned out to be. Yes, the series feels very dated, with a group of boy crazy heroines who have to fight demons looking to remove love from the world. There is no dark twist. Nothing here is aiming to subvert the genre. Wedding Peach is here to give the reader exactly what is says on the tin. This is pure magical girl cuteness. The sacred items that they are sworn to protect are called "The Four Sacred Somethings" for crying out loud. (Something old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue).  And I didn't hate it! This is a solid three (out of 5) star read for me. There is nothing ground breaking here. The art is nice, the story telling well paced, and the characters aren't annoying. In fact, there is something about reading something so wholesome that is kind of refreshing, especially after some of the ...

 While I am listening to Pride & Prejudice & Zombies I thought I would break things up by diving into Seven Seas re-release of the shojo classic Pet Shop of Horrors . This was a series I read back when Tokyopop was originally releasing it, and am insanely overjoyed to get a chance to read it again. Especially since this new edition is very nicely put together.  My first exposure to this series was actual the anime when it was released by Urban Vision many years ago. The anime episodes adapt a few of the early stories from the manga, and manage to get the general tone and feel of the manga down near perfectly.  The manga itself follows a formula. Essentially, it uses the structure of the film Gremlins . A customer comes into Count D's Pet Shop looking for a rare and exotic pet.  Count D will take them to the back and introduce them to the "pet", which usually resembles a human. The person will become entranced with the pet, and purchase it straight away. Of co...

 One of the things that has kept me reading regularly is my office book club. We chose some interesting novels for that group.  Some highlights are The Wasp Factory by Ian Banks, Penance by Kanea Minato, and Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews. So now a literary classic viewed through a Romero lense has joined those ranks.  I am trying to get this book going, but the act of just reading, getting into the text, is proving difficult. This isn't actually the book's fault. This is a product of my anxiety. For some reason when my anxiety is at its highest I cannot get my brain to latch on to a narrative. Written, filmed, does not matter. I can handle simple talk podcasts, or even true crime, but a fictional narrative proves to be to much. Hopefully I can push through, as I feel like this is a book I will at the very least find entertaining. I'll be giving updates as I make my way through the book.  I know this book has some mixed reviews, so this should be interesting....

 So, I am trying to set some reading goals or challenges for myself this year. There is nothing too crazy. The goal is 25 books for the year. This can include manga and graphic novels. The big ones are more about getting out of my reading comfort zone.  Some are also just kind of... just because goals.   Goal One: Read at least two fantasy books this year Fantasy has always been a genre I struggle with. While I love the Discworld books, and Lightning Struck Heart by TJ Klune, high fantasy specifically tends to send me running in the other direction. This year I am going to to make it a goal to really give a good fantasy a solid try.  I was going to also do this for sci-fi, but I seem to have a much easier time in that genre. Especially Space Opera.  Shards of Honour was my jam!  Progress: 0 out of 2 books read Goal Two: Read the "Vivid Girl" books This one is more of a "why the hell not" challenges. I bought the books for my media tie in collection, an...

Now, I have never actually read an entire straight erotica novel. I have read gay erotica novels/high spice romance novels, but straight erotic is obviously not my cup of tea. Honestly, neither is BDSM.  I am not offended by it, or grossed out by it, but as far as interests go for me personally, it really isn't on the list. So Vamp  is my first. I know it won't be my last, because I do plan on reading the other "A Vivid Girl Novel" books, but I don't think I am going to be using this book as a benchmark as to hold all straight BDSM erotica to.   So, I finished reading Vamp. It took everything in me to push through the never ending orgy that was those last four chapters to get to an ending that felt like such a shrug. I should mention, these chapters are all around 20 pages long, and those last four are a continuous orgy, with one snack break and an awards ceremony thrown in to give everyone involved a rest. This book, while fun to read due to some of the insane wr...

I should just state this here. While this particular post involves erotica, I honestly don't read all that much of it. I have nothing against it, and I will obviously write about it if I come across it, but I will be talking about a wide variety of books on this blog.  Just so happens I thought to start this blog while I was reading a dirty book. Lucky me! I am actually reading the book, but this was for sure not written by Savanna Samson. Just to clarify. So I have been wanting to write an erotic thriller recently. Just thought I would try my hand at it, and in working on this I decided it would be a good idea to read some erotica to get an idea of what is out there, and what audience expectations are for the genre. While the story I am working on is M/M, as that is my preferred genre of erotica, I was kind of checking out everything. That was when I spotted Vamp  "by" Savanna Samson. Vamp was a novel published as part the "A Vivid Girls Book" series back in th...

 I love reading. I don't always have time to do it, but I always try to make sure that I am reading something. I enjoy regular novels, short stories, comics, manga, even visual novels. I love the written word, and I don't always have an outlet to discuss what I am reading at the time. I have odd interests, or read weird books that no one else has probably thought about it thirty years.  I also love writing, although my confidence in that realm has faltered a bit in the last decade or so.  Working on this blog informally is a nice way to get those muscles working again. This blog is just for the fun of it. A place for me to express my thoughts on whatever I am reading at the time. Who knows how long I'll keep up with it, or how frequently, but it will always be here for me when I need to rant, rave and review whatever I'm currently reading.