March Wrap Up

[@Johanna_reads]

Beautifully said about Stoner! What a poignant invitation to examine the ways we go about living life. John Williams had a different view of the character than many readers. I am so excited to watch your Kindred review! Wishing you a wonderful reading month in April, Sarah! ❤

[@TheBookCure]

Thanks, Johanna. It was a lovely book. Thanks for talking about it on your channel and inspiring me to pick it up ❤️

[@Kristenisfullybookd]

Stoner feels like the book you need to be in a very specific mood for

[@esmayrosalyne]

Look at Lady Trent bringing you the comfort and joy that you deserve!!! I have already re-read (well, re-listened to) this entire series once... but I feel like I may just dive back in again whenever I need something to escape into because I ADORE those books so much. And loved hearing your thoughts on Dogs of War, I had never heard of that one either but colour me intrigued! Same for Tess of the Road! Also, great to hear that Fevered Star exceeded your expectations, I was so nervous for that one! I think I will wait until book 3 is out to do a full series binge, but now I am looking forward to it a lot more! Great wrap-up Sarah :))))

[@TheBookCure]

Thanks, Esmay! Lady Trent is just the best. I love her 😭❤️

[@LiteratureScienceAlliance]

You loving Lady Trent as much as I did brings me so much joy!

[@TheBookCure]

I am so happy! It’s all because of you, Angela. Thank you for supplying all of my 2023 serotonin!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

You’re getting me so hyped for Lady Trent!! I have the first couple ready to go, plus I love Kate Reading so I’m ready for some great cozy fantasy vibes. I also can’t wait to continue my Adrian Tchaikovsky journey and need to get to Dogs of War!

[@TheBookCure]

The best cozy fantasy vibes, for sure ❤️ If you pick up Dogs of War you gotta pop on discord and lemme know what you think!

[@RebeccasInBookLove]

I LOVED Fevered Star too - I felt like it needed to slow down from how fast paced the 1st book was and I appreciated that. I think the 3rd/final book - The Mirrored Heavens - is supposed to come out in 2023, or at least that's the expected publication and I REALLY hope we get it before the end of the year! 😁

[@TheBookCure]

Yes!! Fevered Star fans unite! 🥰

[@speedotheguido1014]

SARAH!!! I'm very inspired to see a fellow Newfoundlander having success here from the island. I've been subscribed to you and watched your videos for a while, but I never realized you were a fellow Newfoundlander. I figured that out with the traveling canadian book box. I've been procrastinating from starting my own channel for so long now. You give me a little extra push. Thank you.

[@TheBookCure]

Thank you!! Would love to see more Newfoundlanders on BookTube, for sure! Good luck to you!! 🥰

[@francoisbouchart4050]

I too loved Stoner. I find your interpretation of a man suffering from depression fascinating. For me, it is John William’s commentary on the decline and attack on education and scholarship. He takes the life of an extraordinary man and makes it mundane. He takes the highs and lows of a life and hammers it flat into a monotone recounting of his life. Such a fascinating read. Cheers.

[@TheBookCure]

That’s absolutely a major part of the story! So many layers, and all due to Williams’ phenomenal writing. What a talent!

[@Coleton2573]

Rothfuss writing a scathing GR review is shocking and hilarious. 🤣 I used to follow him as well back in the day, and he was the epitome of a five-star strumpet. 🤣 You're getting me so interested in the Lady Trent series! Voyage of the Basilisk is a really cool title. 👀 My favorite book of March that wasn't a reread was Norse Mythology. It has reignited my Gaiman passion, and now I'm hoping to do one of his books a month until I've completed all of his novels and short fiction. Fragile Things will be my read for April!

[@TheBookCure]

Right?! What a weird book to finally hit back against. It’s SO charming.

[@adamborst]

I'm not sure how long I've been watching your videos, but I never really consciously took notice of the reading journal. What a great idea. I feel like in my head goodreads should be that, but as I get older, I tend to like more of the physical thing in my hand, so a journal would be a great idea. I've been rolling through the beginnings of my Adrian Tchaikovsky journey (Ogres, Elder Race, and Guns of the Dawn). I grabbed Dogs of War to read this month, April. Hoping for a continuation of good writing and story. Happy April!

[@TheBookCure]

I need to be better about showing the journal and not just making random references 😅😅

[@fithfath3615]

Looks like you had a good Month Sarah, despite it being busy. I also had a hectic month with a holiday in the middle, so just got through two novels (one a memoir of the Vietnam War and the other a Sci-Fi classic written after the author's experience of the Vietnam War) and a re-read of a bunch comic books: The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien The Forever War - Joe Haldeman and for comic books I re-read volumes 0 to 5 of Old Man Logan. My book of the month is The Things They Carried, which is fascinating and defo worth a read.

[@TheBookCure]

I have been scared to read Old Man Logan. I know people love it, but I don’t wanna be sad 😭

[@Mister_Sosotris]

This makes me want to read Fevered Star. I loved the first one, but I too was a bit hesitant after reading the reviews. But it’s on my shelf, and I want to give it a go, now.

[@TheBookCure]

I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first, but the incredibly low expectations really helped this time. I hope you like it if you give it a try!

[@maggythestray6869]

Tess sounds perfect to me !!! I need this book. Please do a video about books like that :)

[@TheBookCure]

I definitely will! Thank you 🥰

[@leticiatoraci9855]

I also plan to read all Tchaikovsky's books. I might pick Lady Trent too after your recommendation.

[@TheBookCure]

I hope you enjoy it as much I have! 🥰

[@Amy-ii8tt]

Great wrap up as always :) I'm excited to hear you loved Tess of the Road! It's been on my radar for a while.

[@TheBookCure]

Thanks, Amy! Would love to chat about it if you get around to reading 🥰

[@punkrockcerealbowl]

Stoner is the kind of book I enjoy hearing people talk about but not something I’ll pick up. Since becoming a dad in way more sensitive to bleak things. It’s why I mainly stick to SFF. Sad + Dragons or Sad + Aliens and I’m good. Sad + More Sad and I’m out 😂

[@TheBookCure]

This is Sad x Sad, even! Definitely shield your heart!

[@SheWasOnlyEvie]

I’m…glad(?) that you read Stoner and…enjoyed(?) it. John Williams is one of the best authors out there. I can’t wait to see how you enjoy Butcher’s Crossing! I finally read Guns of the Dawn in March, and it was fantastic!

[@TheBookCure]

Hahahaha, thanks Evie! I did like it - it just hurt 😭 Also, I was living in a world where I thought you had read Guns of the Dawn back when Allen did 🙈

[@onfaerystories]

I don't think we need to read longer books for them to be impactful, we just need to find the right authors for us. ☺️ But I understand that, as a Fantasy reader, it may feel jarring. :P Can't wait to read Augustus this year that I plan on picking up after finishing Robert Harris' Cicero trilogy (Kyle told me it's better that way since the events in those books are related). I was planning on reading book #2 this month. ☺️ I've not been attracted to Stoner for now as I fear to have a hard time handling how all of this affects the characters' daughter. I recently read L'Assommoir by Emile Zola (a 19th century French classic) and Gervaise, the main female character, was the most passive character I've ever read, and I just couldn't forgive her by the end as she had so many opportunities to turn her life around but never did. She also had children and she was so self-centered she never put them first. You can't help sympathizing with her as she has a drunken irresponsible husband, but she truly was no better and just embodied people-pleasing and mediocrity. She was hard-working for so long, and had all the weight of the household income on her shoulders, so you feel for her, but there's always this "but" where you understand somehow but you really don't. This read did made me think a lot about responsibilities and child neglect (which is something I've unfortunately experienced), but man did I find it such a heavy read and it took me months to finish (listening to it on audiobook did help me get through it). It was a great piece of literary work, one of his most beloved works and I understand why, but man was I ready for it to be done. I can usually handle depressing reads, but some novels are just too much for me sometimes (despite some humor in it, but it wasn't enough to really balance it for me, though it was the case in other of his brilliant depressing stories). I wish my local library had Tchaikovsky's works, but it doesn't. I do have Guns of The Dawn on my Kindle but it'll have to wait as I'd rather read physically for now. Would you say it's still your favourite novel by this author?

[@TheBookCure]

I definitely have that same experience where really heavy/impactful books take longer to get through. The experience can’t be fully appreciated until the end! And yes, it’s definitely just the fantasy fan in me that feels edgy when a book is under 400 pages 😅

[@readbykyle3082]

You had an excellent reading month! So glad you loved Stoner, and I'm not at all surprised you're loving Lady Trent. I'm pretty excited to check out those Tchaikovsky novels

[@TheBookCure]

Time to read Dogs of War! I need to know if you’ll like it!

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

You had a great month!! I'm still interested in Lady Trent so I'm so happy you're enjoying it so much!

[@TheBookCure]

I really did! And so far April has been great as well 🥰

[@robertharcourt7650]

Glad you had such a great reading month Sarah :)

[@TheBookCure]

Thank you, my friend!

[@calista3371]

Sarah, great reading month. There are some books you read I am very interested in. I also got the Vol 1 of GDC Manhua and thought it was good. I loved the art style, but it covered so little territory. There will have to be like 20 volumes at least to tell the story. I hope they put one out monthly or it will take years to tell.

[@TheBookCure]

I hope it comes out quickly as well, Calista! I’ve preordered the special edition of the last volume - can’t wait for it to come out! 🥰

[@calista3371]

​@@TheBookCure I am on a reddit feed and I found out that they won't let MXTX publish under than name. She is writing under Mu Su Li, I get the characters mixed up, but that is correct. She has several stories in progress and several new one completed. I want to get more confirmation about that and you would think the companies would make that known. I'm hopeful it's true. I can't wait for the last volume. I love the dream lamp scenes. YES!

[@BookishChas]

Great video Sarah! Congrats on a great month, even though you didn’t read all you planned. Hope you’re doing well.

[@TheBookCure]

Thanks, Chas! Things are going well - thanks for checking in. Hope you have a lovely April 🥰

[@mattkean1128]

I've been curious about Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series.

[@TheBookCure]

Yes!! We both need to pick up some Kate Elliott 👀

[@bookreadingbilly8329]

I really need to pick up the lady Trent books

[@TheBookCure]

Yes!!! Do it and love them!! 👩‍⚖️

[@angelaholmes8888]

Here's what I read in March Mr Mercedes by Stephen king Troublemaker leah remini memoir Reminders of him by colleen Hoover Heat 2 by Michael mann Read between the lines by Rachel Lacey Never ever getting back together by sophie Gonzales Lonesome dove Love Pamela memoir by Pamela Anderson Bad luck and trouble by lee child Normal people by Sally Rooney I kissed shara wheeler All Rhodes lead here by Mariana Zapata The silence of the girls by pat Barker

[@TheBookCure]

Another amazing month! Thanks for watching, Angela 🥰

[@safinan8008]

Hi 👋 great video 🎥

[@TheBookCure]

Thank you, my friend! 🥰

[@thatsci-firogue]

Dogs of War 🤘 I still need to read Bearhead. I'm also finally back to reading Tchaikovsky again with Shadows of the Apt and it's so cool so far. Sarah, you're the only one that's made me interested in reading Lady Trent. March was another month of mostly chunkers for me: *Comedy* The Boy Who Kicked Pigs / Tom Baker - Tom Baker is probably my favourite Doctor and it was lovely to see his oddball wit and charisma present in this short, dark book. *Fantasy* Kingkiller Chronicle 1: Name of the Wind - I understand why people won't start this series; it's not complete and Rothfuss is, well, Rothfuss. I understand but I don't care. I loved it, especially the prose. However, I would've liked more effort put into writing the female characters. Memory Sorrow & Thorn 1: Dragonbone Chair - I liked this a lot. Williams' prose is very reminiscent of Hobb and Kay which is always a plus for me. It is a slowburn which mostly worked for me, cool battles, neat worldbuilding and likeable characters. You can really tell it was instrumental in GRRM writing ASOIAF. It really did feel like Classic and Modern Fantasy converging in a way, I know for a lot of people that's WoT but I think this is more apt. I can't wait to read the rest as i am in more of a mood for older Fantasy which doesn't happen to me very often. Wheel of Time 1: Eye of the World (re-read) - I enjoyed it the first time and it remained so this time. It (rightfully) gets flack for being a retread of Fellowship, but I've read worse *cough* Sword of Shannara *cough* (though Brooks' prose is better than Jordan's) and admittedly I'm not as tied to LotR as a lot of people (I love it but people LOVE it) and I read EotW before Fellowship so that criticism, while valid, doesn't hold as much weight with me. The only characters I can think of that I never warmed to on my first attempt that so far is still true on this attempt are Egwene and Lan. I'm not committing to finishing the series but a by a book by book basis. Robert Jordan still isn't out of the woods with me yet. I think the change of pace with Books 4 and 5 will jive with me better this time since I've grown to appreciate slowburns more, though, I don't see how Jordan handles the gender dynamics growing on me. Aside from those two points I mostly enjoyed what I read of the series but if I reach Book(s) 4 and/or 5 again and still feel the same way as I did last time then Wheel of Time and I are done for good. No third chances with me.

[@TheBookCure]

Was this your first time for The Name of the Wind? I really would love to see the series finished one day!

[@thatsci-firogue]

@@TheBookCure it was and I'll happily read it again😁