February Wrap Up | 2023 – LessthanThreeD

For a while, audiobooks were working really well for me. Last month, however, I realized that I wasn’t as engaged with the books I was listening to compared to the ones I was physically reading. I’m not entirely sure if it’s the audio aspect or just that those books happened to be the ones I didn’t love as much. So that’s something I’m going to be keeping an eye on over the next month or so while I incorporate more phyiscal reading into my routine and maybe cut back on the audiobooks for a while.

I did really well at sticking to my TBR, although I didn’t get through everything I had planned. Of course the ones I didn’t get to are the ones I own, but I did finish three series and continue two more, so I’m still pleased with my progress.

From The TBR:

Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence
King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
The Vagrant by Peter Newman
Wild Massive by Scotto Moore – DNFd @ 20%
Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The Poetic Edda translated by Carolyne Larrington
Einstein a Life by Denis Brian
Draw the Lightning Down by Michael Brian Schiffer

Everything I Finished:

Holy Sister
Book of the Ancestor, book 3
by Mark Lawrence

In the final book of this trilogy, Nona chooses her path and we finally see the scene that has been foreshadowed since the beginning. I loved Nona as a main character and following along with her story, learning about this world, and seeing the plot come together for the conclusion.

Before Your Memory Fades
Before the Coffee Gets Cold, book 3
by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

The third book continues on with the cafe staff serving coffee to four customers who wish to travel in time. In a similar setup as the previous two books, we see four new situations of people wishing to see someone one more time, carrying on with the discussions of grief and closure and why someone may choose to do this knowing they cannot change anything. I really like this series, and I’m looking forward to the fourth book, which is set to come out later this year.

Wild Massive
by Scotto Moore

Although I DNFd this at 20%, I still think it’s a really cool concept. A rich sci-fi world with plenty of action and a little magic. The worldbuilding happened a bit too quickly upfront for me, which is why I ended up calling it quits, but if you want a big sci-fi story that keeps things moving this one might be worth checking out.

A Storm of Swords
A Song of Ice and Fire, book 3
by George R.R. Martin

I’m really enjoying seeing what happens with all of these characters as they’re dispersed around the world with their intertwined lives. It’s getting more magical as we go and there were some twists that I was hoping to see as well as some I wasn’t expecting in this installment that have gotten me excited to get into the next one.

King of Thorns
Broken Empire, book 2
by Mark Lawrence

The second book in the trilogy follows up with where we left Jorg after the first book alongside where he is now, a few years later. Although I still don’t think Jorg is a sympathetic character, I am interested in seeing him continue to grow as he gets older and gains more power.

Kings of the Wyld
The Band, book 1
by Nicholas Eames

Both action-packed and good-humored, I had a lot of fun with this one. I loved the characters and their dynamic as they reunite for one last journey that they may not be in the best shape for anymore. Having heroes that aren’t young and fit and the parallels to touring rock bands put a unique spin on this fantasy adventure.

Bloody Rose
The Band, book 2
by Nicholas Eames

The sequel to Kings of the Wyld focuses on a young, inexperienced bard who is taken on by a band about to set out on a dangerous journey. I didn’t love this as much as the first book, but we get to see the consequences of some things through a new group of heroes who have a lot more to prove. Definitely looking forward to the third book coming out to see who the new story will follow and how everything wraps up.