I can’t believe 2023 is already almost over. There were so many memorable moments from this year. The one thing I will say about 2023 is that it wasn’t the best reading year for me. I mentioned this before, how I started 2023 in a reading slump. I somewhat overcame that halfway through the year, but it felt like I lost my drive to read. I started so many books that I later ended up putting them down to read something else. With 2023 wrapping up, I wanted to come into 2024 with a reading plan. I wanted to share a few goals that I have for next year.

Going Back to TBRs

In previous reading years, I used to plan out my TBR (to be read) books far in advance. This way, I knew what I would be reading ahead of time, which helped me stay organized. This year, I found myself picking up whatever book I was in the mood for. That may work for some readers, but I don’t think it works for me. I like having a plan because it’s easier for me to stick to it.

Additionally, I am going to aim to read three books a month. I think that’s doable. I read before I go to bed, and I tend to do most of my reading on weekends. On top of the three books I pick, I will be reading graphic novels, manga, and single-issue comics as well.

One Book on my TBR has to come from the Library

This is the goal I am looking forward to the most. I started using my local library this year, and it’s been a game-changer. I can request holds from the app on my phone, which I think is the coolest thing. This way, when I go to the library, I can quickly get my books and walk back to my car to run my next errand. There have been several books that I rented from the library and read this year, where I am glad I didn’t purchase the books for my own collection.

Speaking of which, I have been noticing a pattern in myself when I buy books. I tend to buy books, read them, and then, when I’m done, I donate them. While this isn’t a bad thing, it’s something I want to cut back on. I want to stick to a budget, and I have to be honest with myself that buying books is where I tend to spend a portion of my disposable income.

Using my local library will help save money, but if I end up really loving a book I read, I can always buy it for my bookshelf at home.

Completing Reading Challenges

To help keep myself engaged, I want to set a few reading challenges to complete throughout the year. I already have one reading challenge planned. I want to pick the ten books that have been on my Goodreads TBR shelf the longest and read them next year. I think most of them are graphic novels, which is something I could easily do next year.

Reading challenges can keep some spontaneity in reading, which I think will help me to read more than I did in 2023.

Reviewing My Bookshelves

When we moved into our house in 2022, I packed away my books, but I didn’t end up going through them like I wanted to. There are several books on my bookshelf that I haven’t read in a few years, and I never continued the series. I either want to pull them off my shelf and re-read them, or I want to donate them to make space for other books I want to collect. I want to make sure that the books on my shelves are books that mean a lot to me, and if they don’t, this will help free up precious bookshelf space.

These goals are ambitious, but I think they will help get me back on track. I love to read, and I want to make reading more of a priority in 2024.

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! I always look forward to the holidays because even though I’m busy, I tend to find enough downtime to catch up on reading. This holiday was no different as I brought two books to read while staying with my in-laws. One of the books I read was My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine. My Roommate Is a Vampire was a paranormal romance that hit my expectations.

Cassie Greenberg is an aspiring artist who is currently juggling multiple part-time jobs. Living in Chicago has proven difficult as she’s been incapable of paying her rent on time. As a result, she’s evicted and needs to find a new place to live. She answers an ad in the paper for $200 rent on a beautiful home near Lake Michigan. She is introduced to Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, who appears to be friendly and not a serial killer. As Cassie moves in, she realizes some quirks that Frederick has. Cassie quickly realizes that Frederick is a vampire who has been asleep for a century. Living with a super-hot vampire doesn’t at all get complicated for Cassie.

Starting with the characters, Cassie wasn’t my favorite to read about. She’s passionate about her art, but that’s all I know about her. Cassie is written as being in her early 30s, but I felt that her demeanor aligned with someone in their early 20s. Frederick was definitely the highlight of the book. He has his awkward moments, which I think helped to bond Cassie and Frederick together as a couple.

With that being said, I don’t think Cassie and Frederick would be a good couple long-term. There were a few comments that Frederick made towards Cassie that didn’t sit right with me. For example, Frederick goes through Cassie’s Instagram and sees a picture of her in a bikini. He makes a comment, something along the lines of how she’s showing off a lot of her body. I get that Frederick was asleep for a century, but I felt there were better ways to demonstrate that than having him make comments towards Cassie’s body. I don’t feel that Frederick supports Cassie like I’m made to believe by the end of the book.

My Roommate Is a Vampire takes place in Chicago, which I loved. Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit, and I liked being able to picture where Cassie and Frederick were at any given moment. I thought it made the book more enjoyable to read since it isn’t often that I can picture the setting as I read the book.

My Roommate Is a Vampire met all of my expectations. I wanted a paranormal romance that was easy to read, and that’s what this book was. While I don’t fully ship Cassie and Frederick together, I enjoyed reading their story. I rated My Roommate Is a Vampire three stars on Goodreads.

Scarlet Witch is quickly becoming one of my favorite Marvel characters to read about. I loved Elizabeth Olsen’s take on the character despite Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness erasing Wanda’s growth in WandaVision. I picked up issue one of Steve Orlando’s Scarlet Witch comic run, and I enjoyed reading it. Unfortunately, I fell behind, so I wasn’t able to keep reading the series. I found the first volume while comic shopping and decided to read the full arc. Scarlet Witch – The Last Door is a fun, low-stakes comic series.

In Scarlet Witch – The Last Door, Wanda opens a witchy shop with Darcy. This is the same Darcy from Thor and WandaVision. As a side note, I appreciate that these two are friends. I feel like that was a missed opportunity in WandaVision, especially since Darcy was brought back. Anyway, Wanda has a door towards the back of her shop, and if someone walks through the door, it means that they feel they have nowhere to go. Each issue focuses on Wanda going off on an adventure to help someone in need.

I liked this series! I liked Wanda and Darcy’s banter. Each issue was easy to read, and I ended up finishing this volume rather quickly. I liked Wanda’s look. She has this scarlet red and burgundy body suit. It’s not overtly sexualized, and it’s functional when Wanda needs to fight or cast her way out of trouble. I loved the art style, along with the different cover art that was featured throughout.

Scarlet Witch – The Last Door is a low-stakes series. In previous Scarlet Witch comic book stories, there would be a consequence for Wanda if she used her powers. I believe in one comic book story, any time that Wanda used her powers, it would age her. This element does add depth to Wanda’s character, and I think it forces Wanda to be more careful when using her abilities. With that being said, I liked how this wasn’t featured in this story. Why can’t Wanda use her abilities for whatever she wants? Does there always need to be a drawback every time? In comics, I don’t think every comic needs a world-ending type of story. Wanda has been through so much as a character that it’s nice to have her just live her life normally.

I’d recommend Scarlet Witch – The Last Door to any new comic book fans who want to learn more about Scarlet Witch as a character. I think this felt like a cozy series, and it was really easy to read. I rated Scarlet Witch – The Last Door four stars on Goodreads.

I write a lot of book and comic reviews on Bizarre Brunette. I like sharing what I like to read, and as a comics fan, I like finding new series. After many years of writing reviews, I feel that I have solidified my rating scale, so when I say I rate something three stars, I know what that means. I wanted to share more about how I review and rate all the content that I read.

As far as my scale, I follow a 1-5 with one being “I did not like it” and five being “This is amazing, and it’s the best thing I have read”. This aligns with Goodreads, as they use a five-star scale in reviews. I considered changing this to a 1-10 rating, but that feels overwhelming. 1-5 is a good base, and it feels more concise. With books, any book that I rate five stars is a book that I finish, and I feel a sense of euphoria. This is a book that I want to immediately call my friends and tell them to read this book, so I can talk about it with them. This is a book I will want to re-read in the next few years, and I will buy future books from the author.

If I rate a book four stars, it means that I liked the book, but maybe there was one thing that I didn’t like. Something is holding me back from the five-star rating. It could be the writing, the characters, the setting, or if it took me longer to finish the book. If I rate something three stars, there are a few significant things that I didn’t like about the book. It could be that it didn’t feel memorable, or it didn’t stand out to me. If I rate something three stars, I contemplate whether I need to continue the series or own the book if I end up buying it. If I rate a book two stars, it’s usually a book that I had trouble reading. I may have put it down several times before finally forcing myself to read it. It could be a book that I didn’t look forward to finishing. If I rate a book one star, it means that I struggled to find one thing I liked about it. Finally, I do not rate books that I DNF (did not finish). Some may disagree with me, but I feel it’s unfair for me to give a rating to a book that I didn’t finish.

For comics, there isn’t much of a difference except the fact that comics obviously have art. For me to rate a comic five stars, I have to love the art. If the art style isn’t for me, that does make a difference in how I rate a comic. Additionally, any comic that has a convoluted story or a story where I have to constantly go back a few pages, so I don’t get lost, will lead to a lower rating. I like comics where I can read them, follow along with the story, and become entranced with the art on each page.

Another important element in comics and rating comics is how badly I want to read the next issue. If I read a comic and I couldn’t care less about reading the next few issues, that will lead to a lower rating. I can tell when I like a comic because I tend to visit my local comic book store more often, so I don’t miss an issue. I may even check out Midtown Comics’ website to order the back issues I missed. I try to give a comic series five issues before deciding to continue the series. I think it takes a bit to develop a story in comics, and I like to be fair in my assessment.

It’s not like any of this is unique, as I think a lot of book or comic reviewers do something similar. I hope this provides context the next time you read a review of mine!

I mentioned this before, but I find it easier to read manga than to watch anime. I found it difficult to balance watching anime alongside all the other shows I watched. I don’t watch shows very quickly as I tend to watch a few episodes here and there whenever I feel like it. That’s why reading manga is so much easier, because I can read a few of the volumes and commit to watching the anime at a later date. One of the series I just finished reading was Cat Gamer Volume #1 by Wataru Nadatani. Cat Gamer was adorable.

Cat Gamer follows Riko, a twenty-nine-year-old working professional. She works at an office job during the day and, at night, she plays video games with her friends. One of her coworkers brings in a stray kitten that they found lurking near her work. Riko spontaneously decides to adopt the kitten. Riko brings the kitten home and has absolutely no clue how to take care of it. Each chapter focuses on Riko and her kitten, which she names Musubi.

As a gamer and a cat lover, there’s no way that I wouldn’t love this manga. Some manga series can be gritty and dark, so this is a nice change in pace. I love Riko as she is the same age as I am and still plays video games as often as she can. Some of the dialogue that Riko has with the other characters feels awkward, but that could be the way that Riko is written. Musubi is a tuxedo cat and, like most cats, gets into trouble and climbs into any cardboard box that’s around. At the end of each chapter, there are a few panels of Musubi adventuring around Riko’s home. It’s a cute way to end the chapter.

Cat Gamer was adorable, and I can’t wait to buy the other volumes. I rated Cat Gamer five stars on Goodreads.

One of my friends came to visit me a few weeks ago, and we decided to wander around the Mall of America. I tend to avoid the Mall of America for the most part due to the traffic and the number of people, but it was nice to walk around. Every time I go to the Mall of America, I like to stop in the Barnes & Noble, as it has been in the same location for decades, at least. Of course, I ended up buying books. It’s rare for me to walk into a bookstore and not buy anything. I wanted to share what I bought.

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

Shay Evans and her friend Laurel were recruited by a man into a cult while they were in college. Shay and Laurel barely managed to escape, and Shay has since built a new life for herself. Shay learns from a podcast that Lauren has died. Shay feels extremely on edge as she’s not entirely sure that Laurel’s death was a coincidence. Shay decides to go back to the town to get some answers, and if Laurel was murdered, Shay will do nothing to get justice.

I have read some reviews, and I heard this book is really dark. I think it helps to look up content warnings for a book ahead of time, as I like to be prepared. I was thinking I would read The Last Housewife either in December or January, when it gets darker outside.

Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey

Melody Gallard is the daughter of a famous musician. She tends to avoid any publicity and keeps to herself. There are talks about her mother’s band reuniting, so Melody decides to get involved. Beat Dawkins is the lead singer’s son. Beat and Melody knew each other when they were young, but stopped being friends after the band disbanded. Now that Melody and Beat will spend a lot of time together, they may see sparks begin to fly again.

I don’t read holiday romances often, but I thought this would be cute to read in December to get into the holiday spirit.

Chainsaw Man Vol #2 Tatsuki Fujimoto

Chainsaw Man follows Denji, who has a demon named Pochita living inside of him. Chainsaw Man follows Denji’s adventures in demon hunting.

While I think Denji’s obsession with boobs feels a little too on the nose for a manga, I loved Pochita. Pochita is the cutest thing and one of the main reasons why I’m continuing the series.

For the remaining months of the year, I want to have more of a TBR type of plan for November and December. I’m also writing out a few 2024 reading goals, as well, since 2023 was a little bit of a wash when it comes to hitting my reading goals.

It should be no surprise to anyone that I found a variety of different comic book stores while in Europe. I love comic book stores. I think it’s cool how a hobby or an interest can connect people from across the world. I went to four different comic book stores while on our trip. I remember waiting for our flight from Boston to Minneapolis and thinking about how heavy my backpack had become since I bought so much. I wanted to share which stores I went to.

Gosh! Comics

The first comic book store we visited was Gosh! Comics. Gosh! was a random find as it wasn’t on my list of things to do while in London. We were walking around, and I saw the Batman sign above the entrance. Gosh! might be my favorite comic book store from this list. On the first floor, they had local comics published in England. I bought a few local comics along with a few trade paperbacks on my list. Gosh! had two floors, with the downstairs having its DC, Marvel, and Manga sections. Gosh! was such a fun, random find in London.

Sub-City Comics

Sub-City Comics is a comic book store in Dublin that’s a short walk away from downtown. Sub-City Comics also had a shelf of local comics from a publisher called Atomic Diner. I bought two graphic novels, one of which takes place in WWII in Ireland, which I thought seemed interesting. Sub-City also had a big Manga section, which is cool to see. I’m seeing more local comic book stores expand their Manga section, which I think has directly contributed to my reading more Manga weekly.

Forbidden Planet

Forbidden Planet is more of a chain of comic book stores with locations in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. I stopped in the Dublin location during our trip. Forbidden Planet was cool, but it was more toy-heavy than the other stores. I like action figures and collectibles, but it’s not the main reason I go into a comic book store. Forbidden Planet also had a huge collection of Loungefly backpacks. I ended up finding a few single issues to purchase. One of the comics that I was going to purchase was an expensive variant. The person who was ringing up my order warned me that the issue I picked was really expensive, which I appreciated! It would have been easy for her to let me purchase it without knowing the cost.

Honorary Mention – Newbury Comics

The last store I visited was Newbury Comics in Boston. I wasn’t planning on buying anything else since I bought so many comics, but of course, I ended up finding things. The first thing I stumbled upon was the Critical Role Jester Lavorre action figure. I just started watching The Mighty Nein, and I’m slowly getting into the story. Jester is so fun and a fan favorite, which I can see why. Jester is still in the box, and I’m contemplating where to put her. I think I might put her either on my TTRPG shelf or on my desk when I work from home.

In total, I bought six graphic novels, seven single issues, and an action figure. It’s no wonder my backpack was so heavy. I’m looking to organize what I bought and determine which comics I want to read first.

When I travel, I always look forward to reading. I pack my Kindle and pre-download several books to keep me occupied, especially when waiting around in an airport. During my two-week trip to Europe, I read three books. It helps that our trip had five different flights, so lots of downtime to read books. I wanted to share the three books I read, along with my thoughts on each book.

Love, Theoretically – Ali Hazelwood

Elsie Hannaway is an adjunct professor, racing around different campuses to teach her classes. To supplement her income, she’s a “fake girlfriend” on a dating website. She attends one of her client’s family gatherings and runs into Jack Smith, the brother of her client. Jack wrote a scientific paper discrediting Elsie’s field of study, so it’s safe to say that she hates him. Elsie is trying to get a job at MIT, and guess who’s on the hiring board? Jack Smith. Elsie has to interact with Jack throughout the MIT hiring process, and Jack may be a lot of things; maybe Elsie misjudged his original intentions.

I can’t objectively review any of Ali Hazelwood’s books because I love them so much. I love reading about academia and the science that each book focuses on. I will say that Ali Hazelwood has a pattern, and I would love to see her deviate from that. I want to see a new type of protagonist. How about a chemist who owns a brewery and doesn’t have rock-hard abs. I rated Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood five stars on Goodreads.

A Curious Beginning – Deanna Raybourn

Veronica Speedwell is free to do as she pleases. After planning her aunt’s funeral, she is planning her next move. When she returns home, she catches someone robbing her house. After fleeing from this person, she meets a German Baron who convinces Veronica that she’s in danger. The Baron leaves Veronica with his friend, Mr. Stoker. Before the Baron can collect Veronica, he’s murdered. Stoker instantly realizes the danger of the situation and takes Veronica away into hiding. Veronica and Stoker are forced to work together to figure out who killed the Baron.

This was the perfect book to bring with me while in Europe. I loved the setting in London. Veronica is a character who honestly doesn’t care what other people think of her, which is especially important since the book is set in 1887, and women at that time were expected to be married. I liked her partnership with Stoker. Stoker carries a lot of anger and trauma with him, and Veronica starts to grow on him throughout the book. I rated A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn four stars on Goodreads.

A Court of Thorn and Roses – Sarah J. Maas

Feyre is hunting in the Forest to feed her family when she kills a wolf that approaches her. As it turns out, the wolf that Feyre killed was really a Faerie, and killing Faeries is strictly forbidden. Feyre is found out and is taken by Tamlin, one of the Faerie high lords, to his kingdom, where she will live for the rest of her days. Feyre is taken back by Prythian but starts to enjoy her routine. As she learns more about Prythian, she sees that there’s a dark underbelly to the land. Something is happening, and it could lead to the end of humankind.

This was perhaps the most hyped book on my Goodreads TBR shelf. I have heard nothing but positive things about this series, so I feel that I went into reading this book with a more critical lens. With that being said, I liked this book for the most part. I liked Prythian, the world the fae live in. I liked the darker creatures that Feyre hunts or interacts with. The romance between Tamlin and Feyre was okay. I wasn’t entirely sold on it, especially when the curse was revealed. One of the things I didn’t like was the latter half of the book, when Feyre is imprisoned by Amarantha. Feyre is tormented and abused, and it’s difficult to read. It feels like Sarah J. Maas threw a bunch of abuse in there, and I don’t think it was entirely needed. I can understand why everyone liked this book, and I did like it. I rated A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J. Maas three stars on Goodreads.

I haven’t fully decided what I will read next. I have a few options as I’m trying to dwindle my TBR before buying any more books, and I have a book on hold at the library. I’m sure it will be something dark and spooky, as it’s officially spooky season.

I have two Kindles. One is my mom’s older version, which she doesn’t use anymore, so she gave it to me. The other is my husband’s, and he gave it to me because he wasn’t using it. In general, I prefer reading a physical book versus an e-book on a Kindle; however, whenever I travel, I always bring my Kindle. I hate carrying around a book that I already finished, and a Kindle is perfect to pack while traveling. I recently turned on my Kindle and wanted to share a few books I have yet to read.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

I feel like the book community is going to come for me when I say that I have never read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. I hear nothing but good things about this book series. This is going to be my top priority read for the books that I have on my Kindle.

I don’t know much about this book, except that the protagonist, Feyre, kills someone and then is transported to a magical world. This seems like an interesting premise.

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

I love Ali Hazelwood. I love that her books are romances with different protagonists in different scientific fields. I feel that Ali Hazelwood has gotten criticism because her books are very similar, yet here I am buying every single book. I hope that this book feels different enough from The Love Hypothesis.

Elsie Hannaway is a theoretical physicist. She works as a professor and also is a “Fake Girlfriend,” where she pretends to be someone’s partner at weddings, dates, etc. She ends up running into Jack Smith, the older brother of a client of hers. Jack sits on the hiring committee at MIT, which is where Elsie wants to apply for a job. Jack may also have ruined her mentor’s career. Elsie and Jack are forced to work together and find that maybe they were both wrong about each other.

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

One of the book bloggers I follow loves this series. Our reading tastes are very similar, so if she loves it, chances are I will too.

Veronica Speedwell is ambitious, as she is planning on traveling around Europe. She is almost kidnapped and then saved by a German baron. The baron offers her shelter and mentions how he may know more about where Veronica came from. Unfortunately, the baron is murdered, and Veronica teams up with Stoker, a historian and friend of the baron. Together, they must work together to figure out who killed the baron.

Easy Bake Coven by Liz Schulte

With September quickly approaching, I want to add as many spooky-themed books to read.

Selene Warren is a witch, but doesn’t take herself too seriously. That is, until her grandmother is viciously attacked. Selene needs to grow up and figure out who attacked her grandmother.

I’m excited to start going through all the books on my Kindle. The good thing about eBooks is that they don’t take up space on my already overcrowded bookshelf.

I mentioned this before, but I have been regularly using my local library’s app. I love how I can request holds from my phone and pick them up at the library when they’re ready. I had A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson on hold for a while, which makes sense since this book series is pretty popular. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is definitely a page-turner, but I have no interest in reading the rest of the series.

CW: Animal Death – I can’t believe none of the other reviews mention this. There’s a family pet that’s taken and is later found dead. There are no specifics about it. I wish I had known it was coming beforehand. This happens on page 287 (or somewhere in the 280’s), and by page 300, it’s over.

Pippa Fitz-Amobi is a high school senior who needs to pick a Capstone project. She decides to investigate the murder of Andie Bell, a senior who mysteriously disappeared in her small town five years ago. Sal Singh, Andie’s boyfriend, was listed as the murderer after he committed suicide following Andie’s disappearance. Pippa works with Ravi, Sal’s brother, to review the evidence and determine if Sal is truly guilty.

My reading interests have changed throughout the years, and I tend not to read a lot of YA (Young Adult). With that being said, I did enjoy this book. I found myself captivated from start to finish. I found that whenever I had a break in my day, I would read a chapter or two. I finished this book last Saturday because I couldn’t move on to anything else. I have been vocal about my reading slump this year, so it feels nice to find books that I truly can dive into.

As far as the characters, Pippa wasn’t someone I wanted to read about. She is typecast as being the stereotypical good girl who always finishes her homework and doesn’t drink with her friends. I find that Pippa is judgmental of her friends at times, whether she means to be or not. I have seen this trope in other YA books, and I’m over it. I don’t need to read about teenage drinking, but I felt that Pippa had the idea that she was better than everyone else. Ravi was my favorite character throughout the book, as I think he supported Pippa throughout her investigations and was there for her. I would have liked to hear more about Ravi as a character because I don’t know much about him other than him being Pippa’s partner.

I think the biggest thing I noticed about this book is the implausibility of it all. For Pippa to collect the evidence she needs, she does some questionable things. This book is fictional, so maybe I’m being too critical, but I thought the way things played out was a little too convenient. Additionally, I find that A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder plays into a lot of tropes that I see in other books of this genre. One example includes a teacher sleeping with a student. I have seen this appear in other YA mysteries, and again, I’m over it. I’m not expecting new things from every book I read, but for how hyped this series is, I held this book to a higher standard.

I mentioned earlier how I have no interest in continuing the series. I was reading spoiler tags for the other books in this series, and this series gets really dark. Additionally, it seems like Pippa completely changes into an entirely new character (as long as the spoiler reviews are correct). Since I know this now, I’m going to pretend that this book is the only book in the series. It’s interesting because I don’t see the need for this book to be a series. I feel that A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder could have been a great standalone book.

I went back and forth on how I wanted to rate A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. I liked the book, and I have no regrets about reading it. However, I think the book is slightly overhyped. I finally ended up rating A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder three stars on Goodreads.